Former Knox Little Athletics member Melissa Duncan has her eye on Olympic glory. 22457
By Casey Neill
FROM little things, big things grow.
Knox Little Athletics turns 40 this month. To celebrate they welcome back their little athletes – now all grown up.
The Knox Victorian Little Athletics Association branch was just the 23rd in the state.
The club was set up on 30 September 1968.
Its first day of competition was held at the former Boronia High School oval in Tormore Road on 2 November.
In 1969, KLAC moved to Boronia’s Chandler Park and settled at its current Knox Park home in 1978.
Today, more than 700 children compete weekly during KLAC’s track and field season.
Former KLAC athlete Melissa Duncan now has her eyes set on Olympic glory.
The Upwey 18-year-old got her start in little athletics through friends.
“I really miss little athletics actually,” she said.
“It’s a really fun, relaxed environment.”
The Upwey High School student now competes with the Knox Athletics Club.
She specialises in the 800 metre and three-kilometre running events and trains up to six days a week.
Duncan took out the 1500 metre event at the past two Victorian Open Championships against athletes almost twice her age. She won a silver medal at the Youth Olympics last year and hopes to one day collect Olympic gold.
“I’d love to make to make an Olympic team,” she said.
Boronia’s Geoff Warren was instrumental in getting KLAC off the ground.
“I still enjoy watching all the little ones. It reminds you of your own,” he said.
A former Australian record holder, Warren represented Australia at the 1954 Empire (Commonwealth) Games.
He met his wife, Marlene, through athletics, and his two sons were KLAC members.
“My son is now a father of a little ath,” he said.
Warren recalled making up the athletics track on the sloping high school footy oval and bringing in the equipment after a long day of competition.
“All that toil!” he said.
“I’d hate to go through that again.”
Warren said the club relied on dedicated parents.
“They could spend their energies in so many other ways rather than making up the track and carrying equipment around in the middle of the night,” he said.
A mayoral function at Knox Civic Centre on Saturday 20 September will kick off months of KLAC celebrations.
More than 300 guests will include Sports Minister James Merlino and former KLAC athlete and Beijing Australian Olympic team member Kellie Wapshott.
A film documenting KLAC’s history will be screened on the night.
Saturday 4 October is the official 2008-09 season opening.
A group photo featuring current athletes and officials will be taken on Saturday 18 October.
Former KLAC athletes will be welcomed back on Saturday 22 November with a family fun day.
Normal athletics competition will run from 8.30am to 11am, followed by a barbecue lunch and fun and games in the afternoon.
All registered athletes will be given a specially struck 40th anniversary medallion.
The top three athletes in each event on Saturday 24 January will be presented with a once-off 40th anniversary medal.
More information on the celebrations is available from www.klac23.org.au.
