mmg.com.au

An extraordinary 33 athletes contributed to Shepparton’s 83-strong medal haul at the Northern Country Region Track and Field Championships at Bendigo at the weekend.

Seven individuals claimed four medals, with Kiara Catania winning gold in the under-15 girls’ 200m, 400m, 300m hurdles and discus and Isabel Long claiming gold in the under-11 girls’ 100m, 200m and 60m and 80m hurdles.

The other five were Gretel Holmes, Holly Kirby, Ella and Jade Downie and Rhys Damon.

Kasey Boschetti, Blake Damon, Ruby Ryan, Hannah, Harry and Aiden Smith, Jordan O’Brien, Joshua Rachele, Bridget and Adele Catania, Olivia Kirby, Emily and Liam Schreck, Gabriella Hill, Lachlan Abbott and Xavier Stevens also collected multiple medals.

Long also rewrote Northern Country Region records in the 60m and 80m hurdles, while Liam Schreck and Hill set new marks in the under-14 boys’ triple jump and under-13 girls’ javelin, respectively.

Shepparton team manager Rebecca Catania said the club’s 48 entrants performed really well.

‘‘We normally do quite well (at this championships), but I’d say we’re up a little bit higher than normal,’’ Catania said. ‘‘I think it was just hard work and determination and there are a lot of talented kids.’’

Fifteen Shepparton competitors have already progressed to the Victorian Track and Field Championships at the same venue on March 23 and 24 courtesy of first-place finishes and more could join them. Those through so far are Rachele, Harry and Aiden Smith, Rhys Damon, Brenton O’Brien, Liam and Emily Schreck, Stevens, Holmes, Holly and Olivia Kirby, Ella and Jade Downie, Long and Kiara Catania.

Shepparton president Aileen Zanelli said her club would not be able to host the championships unless a synthetic track replaced its current grass surface.

Zanelli said a feasibility study was being undertaken and club officials were likely to find out in April whether they were going to get a synthetic track.

‘‘We used to be at Princess Park before here and we used to hold region championships there,’’ Zanelli said.

‘‘But once (Bendigo and Albury) got synthetic tracks they host it now.

‘‘We get region relays. The region votes where to hold these things and we always get relays, but next year we probably won’t because it needs to be on a synthetic track.’’

Shepparton’s Matthew Jordan, Oscar Ryan, Jordan Wiggins, Xavier Lewis, Charli Boschetti, Alicia Laffy, Larissa Watts, Andrew Fyfe and O’Brien also won medals.