Life Members of the Box Hill Athletic Club, Joan Hines and Harry Summers were recently presented with the Australian Sports Medal in a ceremony at Olympic Park during State League competition. The winners of the award were announced with the following press release from Athletics Australia:

The Medal has been established by the Australian Government within the National system of honors for issue during the year 2000to commemorate Australian sporting achievement. The purpose of the Medal is to "recognise persons who have made a contribution to Australian sport as a current or former participant or through the provision of support services to sport".

Congratulations to both Joan and Harry on this well deserved recognition for many years of outstanding service to the sport.

The Box Hill junior men have taken an axe to the club records recently and have kept Dale in a state of frenzy as he tries to keep the record boards up to date. Recent club records to be broken are (and we are certain there are more):

Open

PV 5.20 Steve Hooker (equal)

U20/U19

100m 10.60 Tim Williams

200m 21.29 Tim Williams

PV 5.20 Steven Hooker

U18

HJ 1.95 Steven Hooker

U14

Hammer 56.?? Ronnie Buckley

Discus 54.?? Ronnie Buckley

The reason for the question marks is Ronnie seems to break club records every week in powerful displays of throwing and I am currently unsure what the actual mark is. The club looks forward to when he enters senior ranks and competes on Thursday Night. Go Ronnie!!

But perhaps the most impressive club record belongs to Barry Lynch set in 1999: five stress fracture hotspots, on one X-ray (bonescan) of his feet and shins (however soreness in his feet were supposedly "due to tieing up his shoelaces too tight" according to a coach!??).

If you find any errors, omissions or additions for the club record board please contact Dale Bickham on 9890 5150 (ph) or bickham@deakin.edu.au (e-mail).

Congratulations to Alan and Mary Barlow who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on the last weekend of the Olympics.

Alan just keeps arranging major milestones in his life around athletics and Mary thought that once his coaching finished that athletics would be over. Not Likely.

In recognition of the outstanding recent performances of Tim Williams, Steven Hooker, Georgina Power, Bridgid Isworth and Andrew Letherby representing Australia at recent World Championship events, the Box Hill Athletic Club held a Pizza Night at the clubrooms on Tuesday 5th December 2000.

After the initial feast the four world junior athletes were given free membership and Box Hill Aths Club T-shirts in recognition of their achievements. An opportunity was given for the athletes to be questioned on their trip to Chile and many insights were made (including that it was all Scott Richardson fault that the relay team dropped the baton).

Both the athletes and the supporters enjoyed the evening and the club spirit shown throughout the evening was inspirational. Hopefully now these young athletes can graduate and gain berths in Senior Australian teams.

The first round of State League competition after Christmas is on Saturday 13 January 2001 at Geelong. All State League athletes should note this in their diaries and make sure that they contact their respective team managers to confirm their availability.

The committee has appointed Andrew Wilcox and Cathy Marshall as Club captains for the current season. Both of these athletes have demonstrated great loyalty and commitment to the Club over a number of years, competing regularly in a number of events and setting a great example for other athletes to follow. All athletes are asked to help the Club captains and team managers to fill as many events as possible each week so that we can defend our women's State League premiership from last year and hopefully win our first men's State League premiership since 1995.

When you are at the club you will notice the new large yellow recycling bins around the track. These bins can take Glass or Plastic Bottles, and Aluminum Cans. The small bins are there for general rubbish.

WOW!! That is all I can say about the success of both the men’s and women’s State League teams this year. Both have won the first four rounds of interclub and are sitting pretty. The highlight of the year so far has to be Steve Hooker’s performance at State League. He has already amassed over 140 points in four rounds. Could he be the first man to get 400 points at State League in a year?

The local press has also been covering Box Hill Athletics with vigor this year. Reports are in weekly as to how the Box Hill team is performing and yours truly has even managed to get his mug in twice!!

To submit articles either see Cameron Baker or el Presidente Graeme Olden down at the track or email Cameron on cbak2@student..monash.edu.au

In his first representative race for Australia, Andrew Letherby finished 37th in the World Half Marathon in Veracruz, Mexico on 12 Nov 2000. In hot, humid conditions, Andrew was the first Australian to finish, running 1:07:38, just 3:51 behind defending champion and race winner Paul Tergat (1:03:47).

Andrew beat home the other Australians Scott Westcott, 41st (1:08:04), Shaun Creighton, 43rd (1:08:12) and Pat Carroll, 66th (1:11:28). This was a great effort in very difficult conditions and will surely put him in a strong position for future selection in Australian teams.

Congratulations also go to Anna Thompson and Andrew Letherby on their selection in the Australian teams which competed at the recent Ekiden Relay at Chiba in Japan. The men's team finished third and the women's team finished fifth to continue a fine record by Australian teams in this race.

The Box Hill Athletic Club is required to provide a number of officials to assist with running competition each Thursday evening and Saturday afternoon. We are required to provide two officials for each State League team, and one official for each team entered in interclub competition. In the past, we have relied on the same few people to turn up each week to fill these spots, however it would be a great help if we had a few more volunteers to ease the workload. In particular, we require assistance with entering results into the computer on Saturday afternoons. This is a very simple task which requires only basic keyboard skills. If you have a few spare hours and would be able to assist at some stage during the season, please contact Julie Milner on 9428 7679.

The Open and Under 20 state relay championships are being held in conjunction with the junior state championships on the weekend of 20th and 21st January 2001. If you are interested in running in these relays, please contact either Chris O'Connor or Val Armstrong to confirm your availability. Note that the junior state relay championships will not be held until 10th and 11th February.

The last Club function for the year will be held early on the morning of Sunday 17 December 2000 in the form of a "Christmas run" followed by breakfast back at the track. For those interested in a solid, the run will incorporate the annual Club 10 Mile Championship for the Frank Tutchener Shield.

The run will start at 7.45 am from the Club with a slow jog down to the Eastern Freeway where those interested in running in the Club 10 Mile Championship will start their 10 mile course which will follow the bike paths along the Eastern Freeway to Springvale Road then return back along the bike path to near the Doncaster interchange before returning to the start. Those not interested in running the full 10 miles can run a shorter loop from the Eastern Freeway, or else just run to the Eastern Freeway and back.

Anyone interested in running should contact Westly Windsor (9890 3653) or Chris O'Connor (9819 3860) to assist with planning for catering.

Some breakfast foods will be provided, however it would be appreciated if everyone brought something to add to the spread - fruit , porridge, bread, fresh coffee, juice and maybe for the real distance eaters doughnuts and croissants! ? Those not interested in joining the run (e.g. sprinters & throwers) may like to help to prepare breakfast while the rest of us are running.

Club sponsor Banksia Sports Clinic has moved to 1062 Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe (Just next door to Pizza Hut we are told). Could all athletes please take note of their new address and phone number: 9499 8887.

Due to VCE exams athletics Victoria has split this years school state championships into seniors and juniors. This newsletter addition will have all the results I have from the juniors.

I apologize to any athletes whose name should be here and is not but I have been out of juniors for quite a while and some of the names are not as familiar as they should.

Haley Tomlinson U14 800m

1500m

Andrew White U16 3000m

1500m

Ned McLeod U16 100H

Ned McLeod U16 400m

Kate Winckworth U12 100m

Sarah Moulton U13 100m

Tim Clarke U12 100m

Long Jump

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