PROMOTION into next year’s division five squad has inspired Western Athletics’ division six men to new heights, with the side nabbing a silver medal at the Sandown Relays earlier this month.

Competitors Greg Farrell, Bradley Hoare, Adrian Jeffkins and Stuart Macaulay covered the 24.8km relay with apparent ease, effortlessly surpassing nine other teams to snare second place behind Geelong.

The feat has added to the side’s impressive ladder rankings, with Western Athletics a whopping 33 points ahead of second-placed division six team Collingwood.

The team is certain to be elevated to division five for season 2008.

In other races, under 14 runners Amy Cashin and Morgan Mitchell didn’t let their State Secondary Cross Country Championships (SSCCC) meet the day before interfere in their race, as they joined team mate Talissa Jansen to run second.

The under 16s Lexie Alferi also put the SSCCC behind her as she took the reins from Lucy Daniel, whose opening 3.1km leg gave the girls a commanding top five start.

Allison Gatt took the girls home to finish sixth.

Meanwhile, in the second-ranked under 20 women, Kristen Shaw saved the day as she stepped in at the last minute to pull off an inspiring off-the-cuff run alongside sisters Loren and Aimee Lane.

Western Athletics will be heading to Yarra Bend Park this weekend for the eighth meet of the winter series.









Picture courtesy of John Alchin.