Sunbury Little Athletics centre’s under-15 boys relay team has broken an Australian record for a second straight year at Little Athletics Victoria’s state relay championships.
After breaking the under-14 4 x 100 metres record last year, they repeated the feat in the same event in the higher age group, recording 44.64 to ecclipse the standing 44.82 and beat the runners-up by a full two seconds.
The team of Melvin Monleh, Sebastian Bell-Bartels, Brennan Wilkins and Cody Rodwell won the race by more than two seconds. Making the feat even more remarkable was the fact that key runner Junior Mabia, who won the 100 and 200 metres at the Australian titles last year, was out injured.
The boys also took gold in the medley relay, winning by more than four seconds.
They were unable to make it three gold medals after being disqualified in the heats of the 200 metres.
Last season, Monleh, Bell-Bartels, Wilkins, Rodwell and Mabia dominated the relay championships, winning three titles and breaking three state and one national record in the under-14 age group.
They also won all three titles when they were in the under-13 age group in 2013.
Of Sunbury’s other teams, the under-9 boys made the final of the 4 x 200 in their first state championship. The team of Lucas Arbanas, Alex Fish, Riley Coughlan and Jameson Haxby finished eighth- fastest in the state. The under-9 boys 4 x 100- metre teams finished 11th.
The under-11 team of Byron Lynch, Jake Phillips, Mitchyl Doherty, Zachary Stevens competed in the 4 x 100 metres and 4 x 200 metres.
They broke Sunbury’s centre record for the 4 x 100 at the region titles on the way to the championships.
On Saturday they finished 18th in the 100 metres and 13th in the 200 metres.
Meanwhile, two other Sunbury teams broke centre records.
The under-8 team of Bridie Berne, Alyssa Evans, Eden Wilkins and Indiana Stott broke the 4 x 100 best time. The girls are too young to compete at region and state level.
The under-12 boys team of Tyson Moffatt, Liam Denner, Jezz Petrincic and Elias Kahsay missed qualifying for the state titles but broke Sunbury’s 4 x 100 record.
In a good sign for the track and field region and state titles coming up next year, Chelsea Young broke Sunbury’s under-15 girls high jump record
