A really tremendous day of consistently strong effort from our athletes and helpers at the Queensland Cross Country Championships today at Victoria Park.

In the 44 years that I have been involved in local Qld Athletics Cross Country two brutal courses always stood out – the old ankle-busting Mt Cotton farm course with nine creek crossings and cattle running all over it during events and the Maleny Golf Course of recent years with its almost vertical finish.

But in my books today’s course surpassed both of those and I take my hat off to all athletes of any standard who could fight their way to the finish, let alone show the necessary grit to make a State team or win a medal.

This is a sport that teaches perseverance and persistence and when so many are contributing in such a big way now across both cross country and track and field with patience and commitment it makes for a great environment where we can collaborate and innovate at pace moving forward.

Results for us were:

U8 Girls 1k

1st Kitty Stannard
4th Sophie Hurley

U11 Girls 2k

9th Eva Hurley

U11 Boys 2k

6th Louis Claridge
9th Elliott Stannard
22nd Archie Cahill
28th Harry Bray

U13 Boys 3k

26th Paddy Jansen
32nd William Minihan

U13/14 Girls 3k

19th Allegra Fotheringham
22nd Emelia Schulze

U13 Girls 3k

14th Eliza Preston

U15 Girls 4k

9th Laura Bray

U16 Boys 4k

5th Seb Croke

U17 Girls 4k

6th Lara Wannenburgh
21st Kristina Kersten
23rd Katie Bray

U17 Boys 6k

11th Sonny Adam

U18 Girls 4k

19th Gabbie Heather

Masters 50 plus Men 8k

5th Brian Carter

Masters 60 plus Women 8k

3rd Lynda Bateson

Thanks once again as well to Queensland Athletics for putting on an epic event.