Emily Morden, Grace Kelly win gold in first weekend of Victorian Track and Field Championships

While the 18-year-old smashed her personal best by 10 seconds in the under 20 3000m steeplechase on Sunday, it was the realisation the 10 minute and 31.78 second run fell under the qualifying time for the World Athletics Under 20 Championships that delighted Morden the most.

"It's been a dream I've been chasing for a year to get a world junior qualifying time," Morden said. "To achieve that feels surreal."

Having earned the qualifying time, Morden likely gets an offer to represent Australia at Worlds in August.

Currently enjoying a gap year, the Timboon runner flew down from Townsville, where she is currently undertaking a five month stint with missionary organisation Youth With A Mission (YWAM), ahead of the championship meet.

Morden said she went into the steeple final motivated by her strong rivalry with Diamond Valley's Abigail Thomas.

"We've had some really good competition in the country champs, she just pipped me on the finish line," Morden said. "I knew I didn't want that to happen again.

"It was combined under 20s and open, so when one of the opens came past I just tried to follow her which was a good pace and that helped me get the time I needed."

The cherry on top for Morden was breaking the Victorian country record for her age group, a feat that left coach Phil Molesworth tinkled pink.

A day earlier, Morden claimed back-to-back gold medals in the under 20 women's 1500m, a sprint finish guiding her over the line well ahead of Megan Dickson and Skye Ellis. Morden said her mantra ahead of her 4.38.34-timed run was 'patience'.

"I was just trying to stick with the leaders and not go to early, though the race ended up being really slow to start with," she said. "I had to hang back and let someone else take the lead. But I still had enough in my tank, just staying within my limits, to then go for it in the final lap."

Morden will now look to represent Athletics South West Turbines at next month's Athletics Victoria Shield League play offs, before preparing for the Australian Track and Field Championships in Sydney at the end of March.

Joining Morden on top of the podium was Warrnambool sprinter Grace Kelly, who made a successful return from a back injury to net a fourth straight 100m state title on Saturday.

The 15-year-old said triumphing in the final of the under 17 women's 100m was the boost in confidence she needed to know she could again run at her best.

"Eight weeks ago, I wasn't even planning on running (at states) as I was injured," she said. "To come out and win, it was pretty exciting."

The Emmanuel College student easily qualified for the final, her time of 12.34 seconds the fastest across the three heats.

Facing another Warrnambool runner in Grace Carter in the final, Kelly accelerated ahead of her competition before holding off a late charging Katie Oliver.

Kelly said she could feel someone coming up on her, but remained focused on finishing strong. Carter ran fifth in what was her first state final.

Kelly will return to Lakeside this Saturday for the 200m event.

"It's always an interesting race being longer, but I'm excited to see what I can do," she said.

Meanwhile, Camperdown's Ruby Darcy just missed out on the podium in the under 16 triple jump, finishing fourth with a personal best distance of 10.95m. Earlier, the 14-year-old came seventh overall in high jump, while Robert Morden ran seventh in the under 16 2000m steeple.

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