THE Flack Advisory Bendigo Region has achieved a premiership double in this year’s Athletics Victoria XCR series action.
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Saturday’s finale was The Tan Relays on the famous tan track at the Melbourne Botanical Gardens.
Athletes raced 3827 metres on the undulating track.
The division three men capped a brilliant season by winning again.
South Bendigo’s young gun Archie Reid led off and charged to the front.
Reid joined forces with Bendigo University foursome Nigel Preston, Kye Jenkyn, Stephen Van Rees and Glenn McMillan to finish 77 seconds clear of Western Athletics.
In division six, Bendigo needed a top-nine finish to win the premiership.
South Bendigo’s Daniel Plowright ended the first leg in fifth place.
University’s Luke Millard and son-father duo Matthew and David Heislers all ran strongly to be third overall.
The division four women ended the final round in third place and the premiership race in third place.
The team of Bendigo Harriers clubmates Jill Wilkie and Anne Buckley, and South Bendigo’s Debby Kirne ran brilliantly in every leg of the series they contested.
The under-14 boys were second across the line, but a registration bungle meant the line-up was relegated to invitational status.
Victorian All-Schools champion Jayden Padgham from University AC led the charge and had great support from Sebastyn Andrea (South Bendigo, Bendigo Little Athletics) and Harrison Boyd (Bendigo Harriers) to be just 47 seconds behind Mornington Peninsula.
Athletics Bendigo will plan a way to recognise an outstanding feat by the talented youngsters.
Times from the Tan Relay legs: Div. 3 men: Archie Reid 11.43, Nigel Preston 12.09, Kye Jenkyn 12.36, Stephen Van Rees 12.48, Glen McMillan 13.02.
Div. 6 men: Daniel Plowright 14.30, Matthew Heislers 13.29, David Heislers 15.38, Luke Millard 14.36.
Div. 4 women: Jill Wilkie 16.07, Anne Buckley 16.25, Debby Kirne 17.33.
Under-14 boys: Jayden Padgham 13.07, Sebastyn Andrea 14.22, Harrison Boyd 14.31.
Phil Noden from Bendigo Harriers fought through injury in the lead-up to compete at the World Masters track and field titles in Spain.
Noden’s time of 2:16.05 in the 800m was 40th of 55 competitors in the 45-plus class.
He clocked 4:28.13 in the 1500m to be 28th fastest of 48 in an extremely strong group of athletes.
Meanwhile, Bendigo athlete Brady Threlfall broke the 2hour 20minute mark for the first time as he ran his latest Berlin Marathon in 2:19.53.
The star from Bendigo Harriers, who is based in Echuca, put in a superb finish from the 40km mark to break the 2:20 milestone and be 25th overall.
Race winner was Eliud Kipchoge in a world record time of 2:01.39. Threlfall’s great mate Julian Spence achieved a time of 2:16.39 to be 19th in one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious marathons.