A host of south-west athletes have their sights set on state and national events after performing well at the Victorian Country Championships at Ballarat on the weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Warrnambool's Zac Norton, who boards at Geelong College and ran for Geelong Guild, claimed two goal medals.
His victories came in the men's under 20 5000 metres (15 minutes and 53.84 seconds) and 10,000m (36 minutes and 36.07 seconds).
"It's pretty satisfying, I've been wanting to win a gold medal (at the championships) for a couple of years now," he said.
"I was pretty relieved to get the first one, the second one was nice as well."
Zac has had a stunning fortnight. He earned his under 20 men's 5000m qualification for nationals at Bendigo's 5km Frenzy with a time of 15.18 minutes.
The 17-year-old said the next step was gaining the 1500m national qualifier - he has to beat 3.56 minutes. He ran four minutes flat in Melbourne recently.
He's also chasing a 3000m steeplechase national qualifying time.
Warrnambool's Grace Kelly, who represented Ballarat Harriers, took home three gold medals including the 100/200m double in her age group for the third year straight.
She ran 12.07 minutes in the women's under 16 100m and 25.28 in the 200m.
The teenager was also part of the Harriers' successful women's under 16 4x100m relay.
Grace, who is working towards the Victorian Track and Field Championships in February, was especially pleased with her 200m.
"I feel like I'm improving with my 200s, I feel like my fitness towards the end of the race is getting better and my times are getting quicker," she said.
Grace's Duynhoven Perry Sprinting stablemate, Layla Watson, also had a strong weekend taking bronze in the women's under 18 200m and 4x100m relay.
The pair are going to the Victorian Track Relay Championships in Box Hill this weekend.
Athletics South West Turbines, which had 13 competitors, brought home 11 gold medals, 10 silver and eight bronze.
Turbine Emily Morden had a weekend to remember, securing three gold.
She won the women's under 20 800m (2.14.90) and 1500m (4.46.13).
Morden slashed six seconds off her 800m personal best and seven seconds off her 1500m.
Perhaps her biggest achievement was competing in and winning her first ever steeplechase in the women's under 20 3000m (11.54.77).
Morden has been working hard with coach Phil Molesworth the past year to learn steeplechasing.
"To put all the pieces together was fantastic," she said.
The Timboon-based teenager said she was going to focus on the 800m at the state track and field championships.
"Looking at the times, I'm in with a chance," she said.
I'm hoping to race at nationals, I'd love to get through."