Multiple National and State Champion Jonty Murdoch of host club West Bundaberg was again a star at the Little Athletics Queensland 2021 Coles Spring Carnival, claiming a hat-trick of gold medals, including the Boys Under-15 Javelin with a Queensland Best Performance of 55.36m.
Jonty launched the Javelin a massive 55.36m, 21.13m more than second placegetter Owen Wang, of Helensvale, beating the previous best of 53.71m set in 2014 by Benjamin Thomas.
Over 600 competitors from 57 clubs from throughout South Queensland in age groups from Under-7 to Under-17 competed over a day and night-long program, with West Bundaberg having a big contingent of 66 athletes, and five other clubs from our Region also well represented, Agnes Water, Bargara, Bundaberg, Gin Gin, and Isis District.
Jonty was also victorious in the discus with a throw of 55.00m, 8.39m further than runner-up Rory Smith (Ipswich), and the Shot Put with his 16.07m, 5.40m in advance of silver medalist Chayse Russell (Ipswich).
But the throwing sensation had to settle for silver in the Long Jump behind club-mate Cooper De Silva, who leapt 5.68m to beat Jonty by .39m, after Cooper had also beaten all comers in High Jump with a clearance of 1.61m.
The West Bundaberg club had 10 other winners on the program, eight of whom claimed multiple-Gold, including two sets of sisters, Immogen and Matilda Kemps, and Maryella and Aaliyah Skoric.
Immogen chalked up the Girls U7 100m, 70m and 200m treble, in times of 17.98sec, 12.61sec, and 38.45sec respectively, while Matilda showed her versatility, leading the field home in the Girls U9 400m in 1:23.44, and also standing tall in High Jump with her 1.00m.
Maryella racked up five Gold, in the Girls 8-9 Discus Multi-Class with a throw of 9.40m, 100m in 24.30sec, 400m in 2:17.86, Shot Put with 3.76m, and 200m with 56.17sec, while Aaliyah notched the Girls 12-13 Multi-Class Javelin-Long Jump double with 7.56m and 2.46m respectively.
A further three West Bundaberg young guns also covered themselves in Gold in Multi-Class events, including the inspirational Hallee McCoombes, who won five events, the Girls 10-11 Discus with 6.01m, 100m (31.03sec), 400m (2:46.41), Long Jump (1.16m), and 200m (1:10.72), and Libby Venner, who claimed four, the Girls 12-13 100m (16.29sec), 400m (1:21.53), Shot Put (4.21m), and 200m (35.57sec).
Jacob Last posted two firsts, in the Boys 12-13 Multi-Class 400m and 800m, with times of 2:15.39 and 5:34.07 respectively.
Avena Baker also flew the West Bundaberg flag high with dual success, in the Girls U9 Shot Put with 4.95m and 70m in 11.5sec, while Lola James came to the fore in the Girls U8 Long Jump, leaping 2.75m, and Haven Lee completed the club’s list of winners with a throw of 3.92m in the Girls U7 Shot Put.
Olivia Warmington and Matthew Walk shone for Bargara, each with a hat-trick of gold, with the former showing her skill and endurance in taking out the Girls U16 400m in 1:10.04, 1500m (5:49.86), and 800m (2:53.09), and the latter coming to the fore in the Boys 14-16 Discus Multi-Class (8.61m), Javelin (9.14m), and Shot Put (5.04m).
Three other Bargara representatives picked up one title each, Jaxon Wieland in the Boys U9 700m Walk (5:39.22), Lacey McCarthy in Girls U7 Discus (9.13m), and Rhys Garland in Boys U17 200m (23.33sec).
Rocco Marcon was outstanding for the Bundaberg club with also a three-peat of wins, in the Boys U8 100m (16.42sec), Long Jump (3.10m), and 200m (35.61sec), while club-mate Xavier Blair also savoured gold, in the Boys U13 High Jump with the bar at 1.56m.
Two champions also hailed from the Isis District club, Joel Felgate with a throw of 11.64m in the Boys U17 Shot Put, and Fiona Richards, who stopped the clock at 3:11.20 in the Girls U9 800m.
