Gippsland may very well harbour the next generation of Olympic track and field athletes, with several local students attending the 2022 Primary Track and Field State Championships in Albert Park last Wednesday, November 2.

Molly Delaney from Wurruk Primary School, Kaley Culbert from Cowwarr Primary School, Skye Orchard and Ava Harrington from Nambrok Denison Primary School were among the young athletes who competed in the Primary Track and Field State Championships last week. Delaney, Culbert, Orchard and Harrington competed in the Girls 11-year-old 4×100 metre relay, placing 12th in their heat with a time of 1.03.71 minutes.

For Year 5 students Skye and Ava from Namrok Dennison Primary School, this was their first time at the Track and Field State Championships.

“This was my first time at state athletics; it was a great experience, and our team ran the best they could,” Skye said.

“I went to the state championships for cross-country earlier this year, but this was my first time at state track and field,” Ava said.

Ava and Skye both made it to regionals for other events, although Ava placed third in the 1500 metres, making her a reserve for the state championships, and Skye just missed out on placing in the 100 and 200-metre races.

Both Skye and Ava also recently competed for Victoria in the modern pentathlon in New Zealand. Whilst the girls have much in common, their preferred running events are quite the opposite.

“My favourite athletics to do is sprints,” Skye said. “I run every Monday and Thursday with Dennis Huffer at the Little Athletics oval in Sale.”

“I do running a bit, but athletics is mainly with school,” Ava said. “I prefer long-distance running – I just find it better.”

Skye said her favourite aspect of the 2022 Primary Track and Field State Championships was doing it with friends.

“My favourite part about being in the relay team was being a part of it with my friends; it was fun doing it with them,” Skye said.

For Ava, meeting new people and getting to run was the best.

Kobe Parsons from Heyfield Primary School took out first place in the Boys 11-year-olds discuss-throw finals with a whopping 31.85-meter throw and placed fifth in the 100-metre dash finals with a time of 13.86 seconds.

Oscar Woodhouse from 545 Primary School placed fourth in the Boys’ 11-year-olds 1500-metres final with a time of 4:59.53 minutes and second in the 800 metres final, running a speedy time of 2:27.67 minutes.

Charlie Strachan from Gippsland Grammar came ninth in the Boys’ 9-year-olds 1500-metres final, finishing the race in 5:28.26 minutes.

Henri Duggan from Gippsland Grammar came third in the Boys 9-10, 200-metré sprint finals with a time of 29.75 seconds.

Chani Aust from Boisdale Consolidated School placed third in the Girls 11-year-olds high jump with a final jump of 1.34 metrés and eighth in the long jump with the best jump of 3.85 metres.

Bently Johnson from Maffra Primary School came 16th in the Boys 9-10 long jump finals with a final jump of 3.40 metres.

Ryan Berton from Gippsland Grammar came 13th in the Boys 12-13 high jump finals, clearing the highest jump of 1.36 metrés.