Terrible conditions for high class athletics didn’t deter the brave athletes of SKAAC who electrified Lakeside Stadium with maybe one of the club’s greatest single nights of high class performances.
The night got off to a flyer, literally, with the Open mens 100 yards (a race rarely run, but should be run more often) with Michael Romanin and Joel Bee taking on a superstrong field. Joel Bee flew the blocks and ran a super race to win in 9.46 (+5.4) by 3 metres from the classy Will Johns, with Michael Romanin finishing 8th in 10.01. For his efforts Joel was duly crowned Victorian 100 Yards State Champion.
Thomas Scroggie was our sole representative in the Under 15 1500m, running in a bunched field that was a sit & sprint from about 300m out. Thomas was caught 3 wide at the bell and tried to get around for a clear passage, but the group had the same idea. Certainly, based on times Thomas was in the race up to his ears and will no doubt learn plenty from this race to take into the serious races in the latter part of the season.
The Mens 800m saw a historic quinella to SKAAC with Alex Rowe winning in 1:50.09 and just as impressive was Steve Knuckey holding off Christian Davis to run a strong 2nd in 1:51.30. It has to be said that the pre-race hold on the start line for a presentation of an officials award made little sense, with the rain, wind and plummeting temperature not the best way to get set for an 800m.
Alex sat in nicely behind the pacemaker and virtually led all the way in what was on viewing the conditions and pre-race delay probably worth a time significantly below that which stopped the clock. Steve’s race pattern was nearly perfect, got out from a crowded start beautifully and held a great spot all race, with a great lead-in to the last 250m, where he was challenged with 200m to go and responded in the home straight to finish a strong race and set himself for later in the season.
In a night where we honour the great Emil Zatopek with the running of the National Mens & Women’s 10k, it seems odd that a club relay race would stir the most from a sparse crowd in attendance. However, the Zatopek 4x400m Relay is one of the more successful additions to this program. Old Melburnians have taken this race to a new level in recent years, regularly having two teams in the final and for the previous 3 years at least, taking home the Gold medal. However, this year, it was SKAAC that had 2 teams in the final and it was SKAAC that took home a Gold Medal in a sensational battle with a very strong Old Melburnians team. Joel Bee ran the first leg and was sensational in handing the baton to Steve Fabris in 1st place, taking on a 2-time Olympian. By the 100m mark Fab had company and it was battle-on. Composure was critical and 150m from home, the SKAAC faithful could see something special happening. Fab had more than a sniff, he was closing and closing fast. Half-way down the straight Fab had taken the lead and taken down a key plank in the OM’s team, it was a herculean run and one that was warmly received by the entire SKAAC contingent after the race. Peter Bol has been training the house down of late and so it was to be in the 3rd leg, where shoulder to shoulder for the first 350m it was still anyone’s race. With 80m to go, the OM’s athlete had given it everything and Peter’s base allowed him to pull away ever so slightly in the last 30 metres to set Deluca on his way. Deluca was fantastic clocking a split time of 48.5 to extinguish any chance the competition had. 3:13.95 was the winning time with OM’s about a second away in 2nd place. SKAAC had secured our first ever State 4×400 crown and created a new club record, breaking the previous mark set over 25 years ago, that is still a State Junior Record.
The SKAAC second team was also a strong performer on the night, with Seb Purcell continuing his resurgence under the guidance of Mark Ladbrook, Gerard Kerr getting to experience the magic of the final and continue his own return from injury over the last few seasons. Alex Rowe and Steve Knuckey backing up from the earlier 800m ran sensational splits of 49.1 & 49.7 respectively. The team stopped the clock at 3:22.28, good enough for 10th All Time for SKAAC, and put a huge exclamation mark on what was a truly sensational night for SKAAC Athletics.
It was a pleasure to be there to witness it.
Thanks to each and every athlete, their coaches and to JR for handling the teams during the night and on the heats so brilliantly.
Go SKAAC
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