mmg.com.au

Three Moama athletes were among eight district competitors who took part in the Victorian Country Athletics Championships from Saturday to Monday.

Kyabram’s Carlie Whitford was the star of the show, winning six individual gold medals in the under 18s, as well as two relay gold medals.

Her impressive performance earned her the Australia Day medal for best female competitor after winning the under 18 100m, 200m, 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, long jump and triple jump.

Moama’s Rebekah Lock, Morgan Power and Courtney Schultz also competed, as well as Lancaster’s Stacy Brasier, Tongala’s Siobhan Thompson, Rochester’s Teleah Hayes and Echuca’s Tom Smith.

Six of the girls represented Eaglehawk Athletics Club, while Hayes raced for South Bendigo.

Sixteen-year-old Power also had a championship to remember, producing terrific results in the under 20 category to win gold in the 400m hurdles and 800m events and came third in the 400m.

Smith finished second in the under 16 100m and fourth in the 200m.

St Anne’s Winery employee Terry Hicks, who coaches some of the athletes, said it was a terrific result.

‘‘I don’t think they were expecting to go as well as they did, because we were treating it more as a training camp for the state and national competitions coming up,’’ he said.

The coach praised the performances of his charges, including their terrific times in the 400m hurdles — an event they have only recently been involved in.

‘‘They were really good results,’’ Hicks said.

‘‘All of the girls have just started doing 400m hurdles and Carlie in particular has just excelled at it.

‘‘Her times now are just 1.5 seconds outside the Australian qualifying time for World Youth Championships specifications.’’

The athletes have a busy schedule ahead of them, with some expected to compete at the National Youth Multi Events in Adelaide next month, and the Australian athletics championships at Perth in March.