Students go the distance

Wangaratta's long distance running talent was on show at the School Sport Victoria cross country championships held at Yarra Valley Racecourse last week. Wangaratta High School student Merlin Tzaros was crowned a School Sport Victoria state cross country champion, starring in the 17-20 years boys' section though he's still five months from turning 17. Cathedral College's Max Coll finished third in the 14 years boys' section, and was also part of the silver medal-winning 14 years boys combination representing Cathedral in the teams event, along with Archie Knobel, Harris Bruneau and Sam Elkington. In the multi-class events, Wangaratta District Specialist School student Lara Pearson also claimed gold, competing in the 15/16 years multi-class category where she finished in front of fellow WDSS student and silver medallist Mia Godwin. Another WDSS student, Milly Wilson, also collected a medal with bronze in the 11 years MC girls event. WDSS physical education teacher Rowan Barrow said the school was proud of its runners' performances. Tzaros, a year 11 student at the high school, finished his run in a time of 15:46.54 to win by 11 seconds in a field of 89 runners drawn from about 300 Victorian secondary schools. Tzaros was the youngest in the race, and WHS sport coordinator Jud Mullins said he was believed to be the first student from the school to claim state cross country gold; the most recent WHS cross country medallist was Xanthea Dewez, who won silver as a year 12 in 2013. The 16-year-old athlete now has three SSV medals, including a 3000m silver from last year's track and field championships and a silver from the 2022 cross country. Both occasions were the only other times Tzaros has been able to compete at state titles, due to injury, illness and COVID-19 lockdowns. The Wangaratta West Primary School product is having a prosperous year; he was the AusTriathlon Australian Triathlon Champion in April on the Gold Coast, and the School Sport Australia Australian Aquathlon Champion in Perth in March. The multiple-time VIC Triathlon State Series Triathlon state champion will soon compete at the All Schools Cross Country Nationals in Ballarat, and the World Triathlon Championships in Wollongong in October as part of the Australian team. There's also the August 5 WHS athletics carnival, where last year he ran the fastest 1500m time in the school's 116-year history. Other runners from the high school to compete at the state cross country championships were year 12 Phoebe Bosley finishing 24th of 70 runners, year nines Clarence Lampa and Jed Murray 43rd and 71st of 93 respectively, and year eight Paige-Lee Dummett 74th of 100. Other athletes representing WDSS were Matt Watson (7th in 10 years MC boys), Aiden Carmen (6th in 11 years MC boys), Eli Fitzgerald (8th in 11 years MC boys), Will Leahy- 6th - 15-16yrs MC Boys, Harry White (14th in 15-16 years MC boys), Jack Elliot-Scragg (6th in 17-20 years MC boys); Denny Weston (19th in 17-20 years MC boys), Bailey Mackrel (22nd in 17-20 years MC boys); and Dylan Vescio (24th in 17-20 years MC boys). Representing Galen College at the SSV event were Judd Campbell, who placed 82nd in the 12-13 years boys event; Lennie Cashman 66th and Hayden Winter 83rd in 16 years boys; and in the 17-20 years boys event, Dexter Hill placed 44th, Eli Green placed 49th and Paddy Bennett placed 79th.

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