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The Official Newsletter of Athletics Wollongong Inc, founded in 1958
November 2019
The State Relay Championships are being held Nov 23rd & 24th at Campbelltown. If you’d like to be considered for an Athletics Wollongong team (or even a South Coast Region one), please fill in this survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R68J3HC (it also includes a link to view the draft timing of events). We need to submit teams early next week, so get your details in by this Sunday or miss out.
Athletics Wollongong will pay the relay team entry fee, but note that there will be a gate entry fee ($5) on the day. Talk to your Clubmates! Teams can only be entered via Club administrators but it all works far smoother if you organise your own teams and then tell us when you’re set so that we can enter the event for you.
The Club Championships, to be held at SOPAC on Dec 14th, are a team-based competition, with teams comprising 4-12 athletes (depending on age). Representatives compete across a wide range of track and field events earning points for their team. Only a certain number of team reps compete in each event and there’s a maximum number of events that any one rep can contest. Athletics Wollongong had an U20 Men’s team participate in the inaugural year of this competition format in 2018 (with very few team members actually being U20s; or even Men) and a fantastic time was had.
Once again, Athletics Wollongong will pay the team entry fee but you’ll have most success in finding a team by drumming up interest among your friends and Clubmates. Only minimal information is available regarding the event so far so keep an eye out on our Facebook group and website later this month when we put the official call out for names.
The Para World Championships are underway in Dubai! Athletics Wollongong’s own James Turner will be defending his T36 400m World Title at the event, as well as contesting the 100m for the first time internationally. The event is being broadcast live and free on 7Plus, with a daily highlights show on 7Two at 2:00pm AEDT. James is scheduled to compete at the following times:
Best of luck from everyone at Athletics Wollongong, James!
Also representing Australia at an international event was AW’s Rosie Boyland at the INAS Global Games in Brisbane. Rosie contested the Hammer, Shot and Discus, finishing in the Top 10 of each discipline – and was the highest placed Australian in the latter two events.
Meanwhile, Naomi Robinson is hoping to qualify for entry into the Special Olympics State Games. She recently competed at the Sydney South Athletics Competition at Sylvania Waters in four events: Shot Put - 2nd, 50m walk – 2nd, Discus – 3rd, 400m walk – 5th.
Athletics Wollongong volunteers worked the BBQ at Wollongong Bunnings on Oct 26th, raising funds to support our athletes. Thank you to all those who made themselves available – and thank you to the people of Wollongong for having such large appetites! We raised nearly $1000, with the money set to pay team entry fees and assist eligible athletes to attend Nationals.
Those athletes requesting financial assistance will need to have assisted at a Club fundraising event to gain eligibility. The next (and likely final) opportunities will be at the Australia Day Aquathon and the Wollongong Splash (8th March). Save the dates!
Beaton Park played host to the Track & Field component of the NSW Police & Emergency Services Games, a multi-sport event held across the Wollongong region Oct 19th-24th. This is a precursor to the Australasian Games which will be held here the same time next year and is expected to attract around 5000 competitors. AW helped deliver the athletics event, providing equipment, officials, helpers and a BBQ. We even provided an extra competitor and had a Games participant sign up with us afterward! Thanks to those who lent a hand.
The NSW Masters were in Wollongong over the October long weekend for the Winter Throws Championships. Adriana Van Bockel was unable to throw, so manned the BBQ while Anthony Howlett, Gary Hampton and Christine Shaw did their best work in the field; Christine claimed a Championship Record in the 60-69 Javelin with 29.93m.
The porting to our new website provider didn’t go as smoothly as we would hope – but it’s fully operational now! Thanks to our indefatigable webmaster Ron Perry.
You can now access our site via www.aw.org.au or www.athleticswollongong.org.au.
The AW Jacket is making a comeback: if we receive at least twenty orders. Priced at $45 and available in Dark Grey, Red or Royal Blue, it’s a stylish cut and will have our Club logo embroidered on the left breast. Please check the manufacturer’s website for pictures and sizing details. We hope to submit our order within the next few weeks - or as soon as we reach the required numbers. Make sure you don’t miss out by sending your order to athleticswollongong@gmail.com; else we’ll have a sign-up sheet on the noticeboard at Club.
A reminder: you may receive two newsletters during this crossover period between registration systems. You can either unsubscribe from the old system’s newsletter or just wait until we can no longer send via that system. If you aren’t joining with us this season but would like to continue receiving AWesome Tales, you can register for FREE as a “Club Volunteer”. You won’t have eligibility to compete, but you’ll be able to continue your association with Athletics Wollongong and hear all our good news.
Upon joining the Rebel Sport loyalty program, the Club will receive 5% of your purchase price in store credit. Note that AW can’t determine who’s doing the buying - nor what’s been bought – as your purchases remain private. We can use any funds raised to buy equipment for the Club or prizes for our members. Just quote ‘Athletics Wollongong’ at the checkout.
Email Dave Ross at davidrosswollongong@hotmail.com with athletics results to include in our regular Wollongong Advertiser & Lake Times column. Send other enquiries to athleticswollongong@gmail.com.
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