Downs on pace at national titles

Darling Downs Athletics Club reps step up against Australia’s best.

Darling Downs Athletics Club members (from left) Nick Coonan, Ewald Kruger, Harry Callow, Mason Hughes, Wihan Kruger and William Gilmore all competed strongly at this month’s All Schools National Championships in Perth. Picture: Nev Madsen

ATHLETICS : Darling Downs athletes have mixed it with some of Australia’s top talent to record strong results at this month’s All Schools National Championships.

Ten members of Darling Downs Athletics Club qualified for the national titles with seven of them making the trip to Perth.

All seven club representatives finished in the top 10 of their events with two scoring podium places.

Multiple junior champion thrower Mason Hughes - who turned 17 only this week - finished with silver in the under-18 discus and seventh in shot put.

Harrison Callow came away with a gold medal as a member of Queensland’s 4x100m relay team after finishing fifth in the under-18 100m final.

Callow also won bronze in the Swedish relay event (100, 200, 300 and 400m legs) where he anchored the 100m stage.

Other Downs performers included Nick Coonan (ninth in under-18 800m); Paul Draheim (10th under-16 200m hurdles); Ewald Kruger (sixth under-14 shot, fourth in hammer and discus), Wihan Kruger (sixth, under-16 javelin) and William Gilmore (fifth under-18 hammer).

Jorden Wright, Hattie Lloyd-James, Kyrna Crump also qualified for nationals events but did not attend the titles.

Darling Downs Athletics Club members (from left) William Gilmore, Mason Hughes and Maccrae Laird with their medals from this year's Queensland Athletics state relay championships. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The news was also good for Darling Downs Athletics Club members at last month’s Queensland Athletics state relay championships where three representatives combined for success in the under-18 boys’ shot put and discus events.

William Gilmore, Mason Hughes and Maccrea Laird teamed to win gold for the club.

The team finished with a winning distance of 37.39m in shot (second 36.34m) and 132.78m in discus (second 126.07m).

Darling Downs club secretary-treasurer Natalie Wright said the athletes’ state success and strong national showing was a reward for hard work and a welcome boost for the fledgling club.

“We are only a young club, going a bit over 12 months and our results at the states and nationals is really encouraging,” Wright said.

“The club is still developing and we are stoked to have all our boys finish with top-10 results in Perth.

“A couple of our boys were among the youngest in their age groups which makes their efforts outstanding and it all goes well for them next year.

“I’m super proud of them all.”