With its formation late last year, 10 local athletes from the fledgling organisation plunged straight into the action at the Victorian Country Track and Field Championships held across the Australia Day weekend.
Although unable to receive country championships medals, metro competitors were also thrown into the fray, raising the stakes even further for the Shepparton group.
Club president Doug Cobbledick praised the athletes who battled tooth and nail to help put Shepparton on the map.
“Ten athletes, 24 events and 18 medals is considered a successful long weekend away for Shepparton Athletics Club,” Cobbledick said.
“Members have been training since the inception of the new club in October.
“Our new club is very happy with its first venture into state level competition, with hopes of more event success to come.”
Young gun Aden Schreck’s sparkling entrance kicked off Shepparton’s haul, collecting a trio of gold medals in the under-14 shotput, discus and javelin events, while Emily Schreck’s second and third placings in the under-20 discus and javelin also signalled the beginning of a promising run.
Christian Vaitohi, 13, recorded a remarkable eighth placing competing in the under-16 200 m sprint, while Jessica Tymeson’s 9.42 m effort in the under-18 triple jump was enough to claim bronze.
But Shepparton would later strike gold in the under-18 100 m event.
Antonio Vaitohi’s fast-twitch fibres were firing on all cylinders as he blitzed the competition, topping the podium with a time of 11.08 seconds to get the blue and black faithful on their feet.
Moving onto the open division, Harley Cobbledick was on song in the triple jump, javelin and long jump events as he emerged with two silver medals and a bronze, while Glenn McMillan posted personal bests in the 1500 m and 5000 m runs.
The gongs did not stop there for Shepparton, with Alistair McLeod proving to be the man of the moment in the masters division.
McLeod burned away from the pack in the men’s 40-plus 200 m sprint, crossing the line in first with a time of 26.18 to collect gold, more than half a second ahead of Traralgon’s Benjamin Bailey.
He then ran under 13 seconds in the 100 m 40-plus discipline to pick up bronze, while also managing a respectable fourth placing in the 40 and over triple jump event to round out a sterling day on the track.
Meanwhile, a small band of athletes competing under separate banners were also acknowledged by Cobbledick, many of whom expressed interest in joining the Shepparton club.
Bendigo Harrier James Miller was a cut above in the under-20 high jump discipline, sealing first spot with a leap of 1.94 m, before grabbing bronze in the 100 m dash.
Fellow Harrier Gretel Holmes and Harriet Gall stepped up to win the 4 x 100 m relay race, meanwhile gold for South Bendigo’s Debby Kirne in the 50-plus 400 m event remained a highlight amid other stellar results.
“High quality entrants ensured times were at premium pace,” Cobbledick said.
“Many athletes recorded improvements in personal performance, most noted of which was Glenn McMillan, who reduced times in both his 1500 m and 5000 m events.
“Emily Schreck competed against a past Olympian, while Antonio Vaitohi and Alistair McLeod showed dominate pace along with James Miller’s 100 m cracking into the 10-second group.”