By Dongyun Kwon
After the huge success of hosting the 2024 State Cross Country Championships, Yarra Valley Racing once again hosted the cross country competition for students from all across Australia.
Individual racing was held on Wednesday 21 August while relay and time trial racing took place on Friday 23 August.
Over 500 students participated in the competition.
School Sport Australia (SSA) president Graeme Jennings said SSA is proud of the great work that occurs at all levels to ensure hundreds of thousands of Australian students, of all abilities and backgrounds are provided access to participation in school sport.
“Our SSA Championships are not just about where a team finishes on the ladder, it has many added benefits – health, cognitive, well-being and social integration,” he said.
“The educational outcomes the students gain is something they cannot learn in the classroom or on a device, it provides another pathway for the fulfilment of personal potential whether it be playing or officiating.”
Hasas Abeygunawardana from Eastwood Primary School ended up winning three gold medals.
Hasas has a hearing impairment and participated in the 10-12 Years Multiclass Boys and Girls race on Wednesday and Multiclass Time Trials on Friday.
Hasas said he started to cross country to run with his brother.
“I learnt ’I have to continue running until the end’ throughout cross country,” he said.
Hasas won the individual gold medal at the 10-12 Years Multiclass Boys and Girls race and won the team gold medal at the same race with his teammates, Declan Zamora with a hearing impairment from Yarra Valley Grammar School and Sam Bradley with a vision impairment from Cheltenham East Primary School.
Declan took third place and Sam took fourth place in the same race which summed up as the highest team point.
Declan and Sam participated in the Multiclass Relays where they ended up with a silver medal on Friday.
“I always liked sports and I decided to start practising cross country to get here,” Declan said.
“I learnt how to try my best throughout the cross country experience,” Sam said.
The trio went to the 2023 National Cross Country Championships together in Canberra last year where they got not only a gold medal as a team but also good friendship.
Team Victoria general manager Erik Albers, who is a teacher at Oakleigh South Primary School, was proud of Team Victoria students.
“Our team did an absolutely fabulous job representing Victoria,” he said.
“Everyone’s proud of their achievements and they are very excited.
“I’d like to thank the support of the parents and families for coming out and watching the athletes’ performance.”
SSA rotates the hosting state of the event every year and this year Victoria was chosen as the host.
School Sport Australia (SSA) national cross country advisor Andrew Downes said he loved the Yarra Valley Racing as an event venue.
“School Sport Victoria used this for their state championships, so it was a familiar setup for them to transfer over to the national cross country,” he said.
“We just adjusted it to how we run our program.
“The location was ideal as accommodations and places to eat are all close.”
