The Sydney University Athletics Club (SUAC) has continued their record breaking 12 months after securing the Athletics NSW Men’s and Women’s Open Winter Premiership for the first time in the club’s history.
SUAC’s Nat Archer and Hugh Williams took out the Fernleigh 15 women’s and men’s titles respectively on Sunday morning in Newcastle, becoming State 15km Champions in the process. Both are also SUSF Elite Athlete Program (EAP) scholarship holders.
The women’s team of Archer (Bachelor of Science), Rosie Weber (Bachelor of Health Sciences), Jo Cubis and Aparna Nanayakkara sealed first place and secured an historic the Women’s Open Winter Premiership. The men had locked down the Men’s Open Winter Premiership for the third consecutive year with two rounds to go.
Archer was outstanding, producing a phenomenal run over the 15km distance to win by more than a minute while smashing the course record in the process.
Weber was the fifth female home, with Jo Cubis sixth and Nanayakkara in 14th. SUAC’s Milly Clark will be crowned the NSW Female Distance Runner of the Year, while Archer has finished third in her debut year in the competition.
The men had locked down the Men’s Open Winter Premiership for the third consecutive year with two rounds to go but that didn’t stop SUAC’s Hugh Williams (Bachelor of Physiotherapy) romping home to victory and delivering one of the best runs of his career.
For SUAC, the win meant that the club had won every available Senior/Open title in a twelve-month period for both men and women with victories in the Australian University Games (men and women); NSW State Relay Championships (seniors); NSW Club Championships (men and women); NSW Track and Field Championships; Club Premiership Open Pennant (men and women); and Winter Premiership (men and women).
SUSF Director of Athletics, Dean Gleeson is extremely pleased with how the last year has panned out, saying “This has been without doubt the most successful twelve months in the history of the club.”
“Many thanks to all those involved, most notably the many athletes that put in the hard yards over the last twelve months, the committee of SUAC and the tremendous ongoing support from SUSF.”
The club will now turn its attention to the Treloar Shield and NSW Relay Championships on November 16 and 17.
2013 is the Club’s 135th year. For photos, details of the 135th Anniversary Dinner on Saturday, 23 November and further information about SUAC see www.facebook.com/SUACinfo or www.suac.org
