The Mount Isa Athletics Club officials couldn’t be happier with the success of their first ‘Retro Day’ of the season with 20 existing club records as well as a number of All Comer (Oval) records being broken throughout the day.
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Retro Days were designed to give athletes the opportunity to compete in events of days gone by like the 70m sprints and events like the Walks and Long Hurdles that the club doesn’t do on club days.
As well as some events that club athletes may have competed in at different venues like 50m and 145m sprints or throwing events that have had weight changes over the years. The club Pole Vaulters also get a chance to record heights on their home soil.
It also gives athletes a chance to break club records which don’t not often get challenged or maybe even create some that haven’t been performed at the Mount Isa track.
The Day kicked off with the Pole Vaulters being greeted with perfect conditions resulting in all vaulters achieving heights and three records being broken.
Denzil Perkins’s first Pole competition saw him take out the 12 years boy’s record with a height of 1.92m.
A steady improvement from Terri-Anne Knight and Connor Baker also saw them take records with heights of 1.82m and 2.02m respectably. Susan ‘Sparkles’ Cernoia also gave the club its first Masters Women’s Vault record clearing 1.92m in her first comp.
Connor and Terri-Anne’s heights also gave them Silver qualifiers for the Athletics North Queensland Development Squad.
First up on the track was the Masters 60m sprint which saw Sparkles better the record for her age group she also went on to acquire the 80m record later in the day.
David ‘Coach Awesome’ Scott finally managed to better fellow coach Ken Dickson’s 60m record which has been on his radar since entering the 40-44 years age group.
Next up was the 70m sprints for the juniors which saw many close races and Denzil Perkins take nearly a second off the 12 years boy’s time running the distance in 9.5 seconds
It couldn’t have been any more exciting a little later in the day when in the 50 metre sprint six athletes from varying age groups finished in three dead heats. Scarlet Venz equalled the 6 years girls club record and Mason Turner the boy’s 6 years oval record in a time of 9.9 seconds.
Five-year-olds Zeb Kretschmann and Eli Constantinou both broke the Oval Record with a time of 10.8 seconds and Aleigha Ferris and Sailor Lee both crossed in 11.2 seconds. Aleigha and Sailor had also dead heated earlier in their 70 metre race.
Other sprint records from the day went to Eli Constantinou in the 145m, Jaidyn Ferris bettered the 8 years 80m time and Susan ‘Sparkles’ improved the Open Women’s 100 yard time to 14.3 seconds.
The Hurdlers weren’t to be left out with Sparkles taking out yet another record in her 100m Hurdles as did Lachy McCoy and Erin Faithful thinks she can still improve on her 17.1s record time.
While the Athletics club usually leaves the distance running to the Mount Isa Rats they do offer a 3000m at their Retro Days and times have been gradually improving with records being broken by Corey Stewart and Dan Butler.
Abi Constantinou bettered the 11 years Girls 700m Race Walk time by a mere second. A special mention also needs to go out to Sienna TeWani (the Bionic T-Warrior) for her efforts in the walk. She was hot on Abi’s heals in her first track event after having her femur surgically broken and reset.
Stepping up for the throwers was Terri-Anne Knight who let loose with a 26.66 metre distance with a 600g Javelin to improve the 13 year girl’s record and coach Ken Dickson might have 17-year-old Erin Faithful running laps after beating his daughter Nicole’s 4kg Shot Put record.
Erin also improved the record for the under 18 4kg Hammer Throw.
The club has set the date for the seasons second Retro Day to be held on Sunday the 18th September which is the first weekend of the School holidays and one week prior to the ANQ Championships in Townsville.