NELSON Park played host to a special Little Athletics session on Saturday afternoon, with some of Portland’s current athletes welcoming the return of Matthew Cooter. Cooter was a member of Portland’s Little Athletics community from 1994 (under-9s) through 2001 (under-14s).

In his time as a junior competitor, Cooter managed to set 10 Victorian athletics record, including the record for under-12 boys high jump which remains unbeaten to this day at 1.67 metres.

As a member of Portland’s Little Athletics Centre, he holds 37 active records. Across those years, Cooter set records in the long jump, triple jump and high jump, as well as at running distances of 70-metres, 100-metres, 200-metres, 400-metres and hurdles records of 80-metres.

In his first year, as an under-9, he set a state record for the 70-metre sprint and the high jump (1.40 metres). In the years that would follow he would set a new state record for the high jump each year.

On Saturday afternoon, Cooter joined 12 of Portland’s current junior athletes for a junior coaching session aimed at improving their performances in the areas he most excelled at, running, hurdles and jumping.