PERSONAL BEST: Under-18 bronze medallist Daniel Parnell.
REGIONAL athletes shared in medal glory and improved their state and national rankings at the Queensland Junior Championships over the weekend.
The Ipswich and District Athletic Club (IDAC) was represented by 15 competitors, who teamed up in 29 events to win four gold, six silver and three bronze medals.
The newly-formed Lockyer District Athletics Club (LDAC) also produced some fine performers, sharing in the medal haul.
A number of IDAC and LDAC representatives have qualified for the Australian Junior Track and Field Championships in Sydney from March 11-15.
Over the weekend in Brisbane, multi-talented Rochelle Vidler won three gold medals and impressed stepping up against older competitors.
She won the under 20 hammer (personal best 41.36m), U15 discus (40.65m) and U15 hammer (personal best 50.62m). She also won a silver in the U17 discus (39.20m).
The Mick Moore coached athlete is now ranked 24th in Australia in the open hammer competition, 10th in Australia for U/20 hammer and eighth in Australia in her U18 age group.
Vidler turns 14 this month.
Other IDAC medal winners included Rhys Carr, Clare Sullivan, Daniel Parnell, Miriam Peni, Tori Langton, Emily Beston, Ryan Stewart and Jack Treschman.
Carr won the under 15 hammer (40.17m) and came second with a personal best throw of 40.64m in the discus.
Sullivan had a massive personal best in winning silver in the under 15 discus (36.59m). It was her first junior championships.
Daniel Parnell ran well to achieve personal bests in each of his events. That included bronze in the under 18 400m (50.64) and 800m (1.56.92).
Silver medal winners included Peni U17 200m in 25.80s, Langton (U18 discus with a 38.91m throw) and Beston (U18 2000m steeplechase in 7.56.42).
Stewart won bronze in the under 14 discus (PB of 32.02m).
Another newcomer Treschman shared bronze in the under 16 high jump with a 1.70m leap.
Lockyer successes
WITH the previous week’s bad weather forcing a delay in the championships, some state competitors had to withdraw due to earlier commitments.
However, a number of LDAC competitors stepped up contesting a new level of competition.
Carley Stieler led the way with a personal best high jump of 1.73m in her under 16 event.
Gatton 12-year-old Justus Liddicoat-Hill also jumped well to win the under 14 high jump (1.55m).
Mitchell Mellor, 14, won the under 16 3km walk.
Another club newcomer, Branden Wood from Laidley, collected gold in the under 16 shotput. Wood also performed well in long jump and high jump as he prepares for his first attempt at the national titles for combined events at the end of March.
Annie McGuire (long jump) and Majella Pearl (high jump) had victories in their events.
McGuire won bronze in the high jump.
Ashley Stieler came second in high jump and third in the 100m hurdles and shot put.
Other LDAC silver medal winners included Kaleb O’Keeffe (long jump).
Bronze medal winners were Tianna Rasmussen (high jump), Danny Stieler (90m hurdles) and Annie McGuire (high jump).
