ARGUABLY the most promising junior female athlete in Bendigo last season, Zahra Hayes has continued her rapid improvement to win the National Walks Championship over 5000 metres on Sunday.
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Elmore-based Hayes won the under-16 national title held in the Stromlo Forest Park, Canberra, in a time of 24.46.
Her time was good enough to also win the under-18 title if she walked in that event.
In recent weeks Hayes, who represents South Bendigo Athletics Club, also won the Victorian title.
In the 5000m under-18 walk, Madison Hill finished eighth in a time of 29.35.
The day before there was also a contingent of Bendigo region and Bendigo little athletes who represented Victoria at the National Cross Country titles at the same Canberra location.
Taryn Furletti continued her splendid cross country season form to finish fourth in the under-14 girls 3000m event in a time of 10.50.
The 10km open men's event saw a quality field, with Andy Buchanan a top 10 finisher in a fast time of 31.31 on the undulating course.
The Hayes family had another representative on the weekend with Teleah Hayes competing in the under-20 age group over 6000m
Hayes ran a credible 17th in a time of 22.56.
In the same under-20 age group for the boys, Matthew Heislers ran 38th in a time of 27.38 for the 8000m.
Only six days earlier Heislers was fifth in the Sydney City to Surf in his age group.
Tullie Rowe contested the 12-year-old girls event and finished 26th in 12.05.
