VIRGINIA Moloney spent her childhood watching the late Judy McDowall, one of the south-west’s prominent female athletes, run.
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Yesterday the Garvoc export joined McDowall on the Surf ‘T’ Surf honour board.
Moloney, 24, entered the women’s 10-kilometre run for the first time, winning in 36 minutes and 17 seconds to receive a medal named in McDowall’s honour.
It was a special moment for Moloney and her extended family, there in their dozens to support the now Melbourne-based teacher.
“My cousins are her cousins,” she said of McDowall, a six-time Surf ‘T’ Surf winner.
“I knew Judy growing up so whenever I went to stay with them I watched her run up and down the roads.
“I am very proud to win a medal named after Judy McDowall.”
Moloney defeated reigning champion, Warrnambool’s Alison Wilson (38.35), and Bacchus Marsh’s Rhiannon White (39.17).
The Collingwood Athletics Club member said she was pleased with her performance.
“I didn’t turn around the whole race. I knew I had the lead cyclist with me,” Moloney said.
“I had a plan to hopefully get in a pack and stick behind the lead female and go off her but it turned out to be me.”
Moloney, a former Emmanuel College student, said her family, many of whom are holidaying at Lake Pertobe, encouraged her to enter.
She tested out the course in the lead-up.
“You always knew you were going to get the tailwind on the way home, which was nice,” she said.
“Nicholson Street, knowing that’s the last hill, if you power up that (it’s OK from there).
“Once I got over that I thought ‘righto we can power home now’.”
Moloney considers longer distances her forte.
She tackled the highly-rated Zatopek 10,000 in Melbourne last month “just for the experience”, finishing midfield in 35.40.
“It was great but 25 laps on the track was tough,” Moloney said.
“They flew over a couple of Africans and Jess Trengove and Eloise Wellings, she’s an Olympian, were in it.”
