SIX Portland Little Athletics Centre athletes contested 14 events at the Little Athletics Victoria State Track and Field Championships, held at Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium over the weekend of March 11-12.

Four top 10 finishes were achieved by the team, with Airlie Aldridge posting the strongest result with a fifth placing in the under-15 girls’ high jump.

Aldridge cleared 1.40m, 10cm lower than her result in February’s regional championships in Ballarat where she claimed the gold medal, but still strong enough for fifth placing in the state.

“I was happy with how the competition went,” Aldridge said.

“I didn’t make my PB, which was 1.50m at Ballarat, but I still thought I jumped well.

“The whole experience was good, the social part of the event was a highlight for me.”

Aldridge had clear jumps at 1.30m, 1.35m and 1.40m, but missed all three attempts at 1.45m.

The top four athletes all surpassed 1.51m, with the winner, Monique Kindler from Knox, posting a 1.57m clearance.

Aldridge had a busy weekend, contesting four events – finishing ninth in the javelin, 11th in the 90m hurdles and 22nd in the shot put.

Portland’s other top 10 results came from Ollie Ward, with a ninth placing in the under-16 boys’ 1500m, and Noah Board who placed 10th in the same event.

Portland’s results were:

Airlie Aldridge (under-15 girls): 90m hurdles, 16.99 (11th); high jump, 1.40m (5th); javelin, 21.43m (9th); shot put, 6.87m (22nd).

Siena Riley (under-15 girls): javelin, 15.70m (20th).

Sakura Riley (under-13 girls): 100m, 14.00 (21st); discus, 16.93m (22nd); long jump, 4.26m (15th); triple jump, 9.60m (13th).

Havanah Farley-Harvey (under-13 girls): javelin 20.38m (14th); shot put, 5.97m (21st).

Oliver Ward (under-16 boys): 400m, 63.54 (19th); 1500m, 5:30.80 (9th).

Noah Board (under-16 boys): 1500m, 5:43.25 (10th).