Chook’ caps great season

Updated November 7 2012 - 12:26am, first published September 24 2008 - 11:29am
AWARDS: Lionel Stewart flanked by the Rising Sun's Pat Sheehan and RetireInvest's George Flack.
AWARDS: Lionel Stewart flanked by the Rising Sun's Pat Sheehan and RetireInvest's George Flack.

LONG-TIME athlete Lionel `Chook’ Stewart capped an outstanding season by winning the Rising Sun Hotel-sponsored aggregate in the Bendigo Athletics Club’s cross-country season.Stewart previously tied for the aggregate award with his brother, Rod, in 1990.There were many highlights in `Chook’s’ runs across central Victoria this winter.He raced to third place in the RetireInvest-backed Eaglehawk to Bendigo, Victoria’s richest road race.Stewart was fastest for the over-50 class in the 6500m showdown.He was runner-up in the Murchison 10km and won the club’s RetireInvest veterans’ award.In the club’s races, Stewart won the fourth round at Crusoe Reservoir over 500m and clocked fastest time in races eight and nine.He was runner-up in the Dick Kitt Memorial final behind David Ottery, and third in the club champion award at which youngsters Lee McCullagh and Nick Crome achieved a one-two result.Stewart, 56, first started competitive running in 1979.The biggest win of his career was the Victoria Country professional cross-country championship in 1989.He won three sashes this season for a career tally of 27.Stewart from racing on the professional track circuit in 1996, but will be chasing more wins as summer rolls on. Meanwhile, Athletics Bendigo’s track and field season will start on October 4 at the La Trobe University Bendigo athletics complex in Retreat Road, Flora Hill.A highlight of this summer’s action will be the 12-round shield competition.Divisions to be contested in the shield competition include division two men, division three men, 40-plus men, under-18 boys, under-16 boys, under-14 boys, division two women, under-18 girls, under-16 girls, and under-14 girls.Athletics Bendigo has renamed its athlete of the year award the H.H. Hunter Athlete of the Year.The award honours Dr Herbert Humphreys Hunter, a brilliant all-rounder in many sports, who was killed at Gallipoli.Hunter was long jump and 100 yards champion of Australasia, and the H.H. Hunter Memorial Shield is awarded each year to the premier division one men’s team in Athetics Victoria action.

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