AS the season winds down, the competition for Athletics Wollongong is winding up.
There have been several carnivals, catering to all classes of athlete.
The NSW State Open, Under 23 and WD championships resulted in three open state champions, two open placegetters, two under-23 medals (first and third), four AWD medals and a finalist in the men's open 100 metres.
Some of the results were: Petrina Price's first in open high jump (1.75m), Erin Guy's third in triple jump (12.32m), Karen Clarke's first in open javelin at 48.36m, Kristin Mercer with a shot put third, javelin first and discus second, Stuart Gyngell's massive 15.71m first-placed shot put in open class and Will Higgins's open class second in hammer with 56.22m. Cameron Fraser struck brilliantly in his four placings in shot put, long jump, 200m and javelin.
In the under-23 championships, Erin Guy scored a bronze in long jump and a gold in triple jump. Price, Clarke, Gyngell, Chris Twigg, Jarrod Twigg, Erin Dalley and Chloe Thurgate also competed in the previous weekend's Sydney Track Classic.
Several of our juniors are competing in the Australian Youth and Junior Championships in Perth.
Results will be posted in the next Athletics Wollongong column.
Some of our juniors are also members of Little Athletics.
Those juniors will be competing in the Little A's state carnival this weekend.
Suzie Seitaridis, Oliva Rose and Georgia McEwan and the Twigg brothers also competed in the NSW Little A's State Multi events, scoring medals.
The NSW Masters Athletics Carnival was held last weekend. Nine members competed at SOPAC, scoring a whopping 48 medals.
Some outstanding performances included Christine Shaw's nine-medal haul (four gold), despite battling leg injuries. Cathy Connell won seven medals - two gold, four silver and a bronze. Montse Ros's three gold, three silver and a personal best in the pole vault (2.90m) was ably assisted by a new hi-tech pole. Natalie Heywood grabbed a swag of three gold and four silvers. Ada van Bockel showed there's still life after 60, scoring five medals.
The male contingent of Ron Bragg, Ron Simcock and Dave Ross won 14 medals - 10 gold, three silver and a bronze.
Bragg was pleased with his season's best javelin throw of 31.93m.
Pete Veerhuis, the only pup among the old hounds, ran an 55.81sec to place second in the men's 35-39 400m.
Congratulations to all athletes.