Published Articles
NB: Most of these articles are from the local papers either The Express or The Journal.
Which included many Traralgon Harriers.
NB: Keith Tomholt was in U -13 category.
17th February, 1968 – Athletic results
The Journal, Thurs. March 27, 1969 – Page 18
Traralgon Harriers Mt Tassie Foot Race, September, 1976
Traralgon Marathon, The Journal, 1982
September, 1984 – Traralgon Harriers Mt Tassie Foot Race
Traralgon Marathon, The Express Tuesday, 12th June 1984
1985 Harriers tackle Mount Bogong
1985 – Traralgon Harriers Mt Tassie Foot Race
Marathon Double, The Journal, 19th November 1986 – Linda Thompson
Traralgon Marathon, The Express, 12th June 1986
The Journal, 4th February 1987 – Farewell to Martin Thompson when relocating to Sydney
Thursday Night Run, The Journal 25th February 1987 –Harriers tackle the ‘Mullet’
John Brennan Thursday Run, The Journal 15th July 1987
(NB: Cliff Young ran in this Marathon)
Traralgon Marathon, 19th June 1990, Mark Sinclair
Picture below shows the strong numbers of Women runners/walkers circa mid 1990’s.
Kaye Livingstone makes her comeback with the Harriers in 1992
1994 Traralgon Marathon, Morgan Tucker
Traralgon Harriers Mt Tassie Foot Race, The Express 24th September 1998
Race won after 6 second place attempts – Ian Cornthwaite, The Express, Thursday 29th June 2000
2000 Traralgon Marathon Winner Ian Cornthwaite
Traralgon Marathon, The Express 22nd June 2000
Community Fun Run, The Express, 5th April 2001 & Derek Evans Special Olympics Newsletter Report, April 2001
Traralgon Marathon, The Express, Tuesday, 15th June 1982, Page 50
Traralgon Athletics Local Centre got away to a good start at the pre-season meeting Saturday. The new clubs put on very good performances and St. Michaels showed they are already a force to be reckoned with. Attendances were good which is probably a good sign for the coming season. Jenny Garside, a new member who has just come up from the Little Athletics, won her four events, and is apparently following the lead of her sister Helen. Robyn Marwick and Valerie Walsh were close in the 100 and 200 metres. Robyn won both races by a fraction of a second. The program committee has finalised the events for each week.
Special events
It has been divided into A, B and C programs with special events in some weeks. These programs should be available to members Saturday when the competition starts. Members have been invited to the Showgrounds Saturday to compete in the first events of the season. The Traralgon Local Athletics Centre has been running for two years and was set up to provide athletic competition in Traralgon. With new clubs forming and boys and girls coming up from Little Athletics, officials of the centre feel the competitions will continue to grow.
Coaches available
Competent coaches are available for training every night. Time trials Saturday gave athletes an indication of their form and should act as a spur to greater achievements. The under 13 boys look promising and should produce some record-breaking performances this season. In the recent schoolgirl’s championships in Melbourne, three members of TWAAC competed. Helen Gartside came second in the senior 800 metres with a personal best time of 2 min 32 sec. Helen showed the benefit of continuous participation through the cross country season and it was good to see her rewarded for her efforts. Valerie Walsh was unplaced in her heat of the 100 metres but she ran a good time. Later she competed in the under 15 long jump and came third.
Made final
Dale Thompson came third in her heats of the 100 and 200 metres and made the final of the 400 metres after coming third in her heat. John Bermingham recently came second in a combined schoolboy’s championship mile with a time of 4 min. 37 sec. His time Saturday, 4:30, would have easily won that event. He will compete in the mile of the Victorian Schoolboys’ Championships in Melbourne November 1. On his present form, he could take out the title. A large number of Traralgon schoolboys will be competing. Philip and Keith Tomholt will be in the sprint events, Geoff Lont in the Steeple chase, Robert Cooper and Scott Rae in the under 16 mile and Leigh Thompson in the javelin and the one mile walk. A number of boys from the new St. Michael’s Club will also be competing.
Traralgon Women’s Amateur Athletic Club results
100 metres:— U15B: J. Garside 14.8 1, A. Rutter 16.1 2. U15A: R. Marwick 13.8, V. Walsh 13.9, J. Skerry 15.1. Open: D. Thompson 14.0.
200 metres:— U15B: J. Garside 31.2, A. Rutter 34.0. U15A: R. Marwick 27.6, V. Walsh 28.0.
880 yards:— R. Marwick 2:29.4, J. Skerry 2:38.7, S. Walker 2:48.7, K. Walker 4:4.0.
Discus:— U15B: J. Garside 59′ 7;.”, S. Walker 46′ 7′,”. A. Rutter 31′ 2″. U15 A: D. Gregson 68′, V. Walsh 64′ 2′,”, K. Walsh 63′ 2″, R. Marwick 58′ 4″, J. Skerry 48′ 6″. Open: G. Henry 84′ 4″. D. Thompson 75′ 7″, R. Walsh 61′ 9″, K. Walker 50′ 4½.”.
High Jump:— U15B: J. Garside 3′ 11″ S. Walker 3′ 6″, A. Rutter 3′ 6″. U15A:
Marwick 4′ 4″, V. Walsh 4′ 3″, D. Gregson 4′ 2″, J. Skerry 3′ 9½”, K. Walsh 3′ 8″. Open: D. Thompson 4′ 4″, ft. Walsh 4′ 2″, K. Walker 3′ 8″.
Men’s Athletic results
880 yards:— Open- J. Bermingham H 2:5.5, M. Thompson H 2:13.8, J. Turpin H 2:15.1, G. Lont H 2:18.5, L. Thompson H 2:31.
One mile:— Open: J. Bermingham H 4:30.4, M. Thompson H 4:47.4, G. Lont H 5:07.6, J. Turpin H 5:23.5, G. Henry H 5:30.6, L. Thompson H 5:40.8, D. Bryce H 5:59.5.
Discus:— M. Thompson H 83′ 4″, J. Turpin H 61′ 7″, L. Thompson H 59′ 2″.
Javelin:— U13: P. Scholtes SM 58′ 3″, L. Battista SM 53′ 2″, A. Rumble H 38′ II”, K. Coffey SM 33′ 0″, P. Ardrichen SM 30′ 4″. U15: P. O’Neil SM 72′ 0″, G. Henry H 63′ 10″, C. Gregson H 61′ 9″, K. Henry H 53′ 4″, D. Bennett SM.
Shot put:— U13: P. Brophy SM 17′ 6″, L. Battista SM 16′ 1″, P. Ardrichen SM 15′ 6″, P. Scholtes SM 14′ 4″, K. Coffey SM 14′ 3″, A. Rumble H 14′ 2″. U15: D. Bennett SM 28′ 3″, S. Coffey SM 22′ 11″, K. Henry H 22′ 9″, R. Kirkhope H 22′ 3″, G. Henry H 19′ 11″, C. Gregson H 19′ 0″, B. Inglis H 17′ 10″.
High jump:— U13: L. Battista SM 3′ 9½”, A. Rumble H 3′ 6″, P. Ardrichen SM 3′ 3″, P. Scholtes SM. U15: S. Coffey SM 4′ 5″, K. Henry H 4′ 0½”, B. Inglis H 4′ 0½”. G. Henry H 3 II”, R. Kirkhope H 3′ 9″, C. Gregson H 3′ 9″.
100 yards:— U13: P. Scholtes SM 13.8, A. Rumble H 14.2, P. Adrichen SM 14.5, G. Coffey SM 14.5. U15: S. Coffey SM 12.2, D. Bennett SM 12.9, R. Kirkhope H 12.8, B. Inglis H 13.5, B. Jenner SM 13.7, C. Gregson H 14.7.
880 yards:—U13: P. Scholtes SM 2:34, A. Rumble H 2:43.3, P. Adrichen SM 2:49, L. Battista SM 2:54.5, K. Coffey SM 2:58.4. U15: D. Bennett SM 2:31.4, L. Coffey SM 2:35. C. Gregson H 2:39, K. Henry 2:42.8, B. Inglis H 2:30.5, P. O’Neil SM 2:56, B. Jenner SM 2:58.5. U17: S. Rae H 2:25.7, R. Cooper H 2:35.
220 yards:— U13: A. Rumble H 30.8, P. Scholtes SM 30.9, L. Battista SM 33.3, P. Adrichen SM 34.0, K. Coffey SM 34.0. U15: Heat 1; L. Coffey SM 28.2, D. Bennett SM 28.7, B. Inglis H 32.3, C. Gregson H 32.6. Heat 2; R. Kirkhope H 28.6, K. Henry H 31.4, B. Jenner SM 32.0.
One mile:—U13: P. Scholtes SM 5:30.2, A. Rumble H 5:49.5, L. Battista SM 6:18.2, P. Adrichen SM 6:55 .5. U17: S. Rae 5:10.7, R. Cooper 5:21.4. U15: D. Bennett SM 5:34.3, C. Gregson 5:35.0, L. Coffey 5:53.2, P. O’Neil 6:32.5.
The Journal, Monday June 15, 1970
Thursday Night Run, The Journal, 8th September 1977
Traralgon Harriers Relay Team Breaks World Record
The Traralgon Harriers open relay team has broken a world record in winning its event at the 24 hour ultra-marathon championships at the Coburg athletics track last weekend. The Harriers veteran relay team also won the veterans section, in a weekend of highlights at the Harold Stevens track where a number of Australian and world records were broken, despite blistering temperatures on both days.
Ultra-runners and walkers, together with the relay runners endured extremes of heat and cold. Competitors were drained by Saturday’s 30 degree heat. In the early hours of Sunday morning when the previous day’s heat had radiated out through the clear night sky, runners shivered as they jogged warm-up laps in jumpers, beanies and gloves. Ironically, by mid-morning competitors again grabbed water from drink stations to pour over their heads in an attempt to cool down.
With team members coming from throughout the Valley and Gippsland, and an age range across both teams spanning fifty years, the Harriers runners were thrilled with their double victory. The team set a new Australian and world 24 hour track relay record in winning the open relay, sprinting a total distance of 385.2 kilometres from midday Saturday to noon Sunday, at an average distance run of over 38 km for each runner. Relay runners take turns to run half hour legs on the 400 metres track, returning to the track at five hourly intervals throughout the 24 hour period, with sleep in between runs the exception rather than the rule. The team of Ian Cornthwaite, Birgit Schuckmann-Wilson, Darrel Cross. Bret Franklin. Steve Postlethwaite, Michael Lancaster, Gavin Jarvis, Steve Gilbert, Bruce Salisbury and Neil Griffiths set a blistering pace, which it maintained to the finish. Team anchor Ian Cornthwaite finished his final relay leg fresh enough to compete in, and win, the 8km fun run on Sunday morning.
The sole woman runner in the team, international marathoner and new Harriers coach, Birgit Schuckmann-Wilson eclipsed her male opponents on the track, with teenagers Bret Franklin and Michael Lancaster pushing the team to an early lead that was never challenged.
With the team approaching a final winning margin of 62 km, last leg runner Gavin Jarvis battled illness and heat in the final half hour of the championships. Showing great mental strength he ran hard to overtake the world record distance and set a new team mark of 385.2km, less than a kilometre beyond the old record of 384.4km set in 1996 by the Yan Yean Road Runners.
The veteran’s team won the Relay Challenge for the third year in a row, demolishing its target distance of 300 km to finish ahead of a number of the open teams. The team of Glenn Fisher, Steve Eagle, Lee Graham, Belinda Issell, Chester Goulter, Frank Ward, Peter Grixti, Mick Bridle, David Graham and Barry Higgins maintained its speed throughout the 24 hours slowing slightly only during the first and last stages which were both run in the energy sapping heat.
Barry Higgins
June, 1967 – First Regular Weekly Night Runs
Mark Scammell, Traralgon Harriers junior star, won the Gippsland U13 5000 metre title with one of his best performances at Yallourn on Saturday. Scammell went to the front on the gun and was never headed. He finished with a very strong sprint to win by over one minute from Joe Saplakow of Morwell. In the U15 event. Steven Cooke of Traralgon Achilles had to be content with second placing to Moe’s Alan Lucas for the second week in succession. The open 10,000 metre title provided the upset of the day when John Lyon of Morwell won a well-judged race from team mate Darryl Blewett. If Lyon can reproduce this form at Cranbourne next week he should take a prominent place in the Victorian 10,000 metre Championships. Another to enhance his chances at Cranbourne was Yallourn U17 star S. Bridge.
Bridge with a brilliant win in the Gippsland 10,000 metre title. He already has a second placing in the Victorian 5 mile to his credit and as he has another season to go in the U17 age group he rates as one of the most promising sub junior runners in the state. The delegates meeting at Yallourn tomorrow night will finalise the Gippsland Cross Country program for the balance of the season.
1970 Results Gippsland Title
No. | NAME | TIME |
10,000 METRE OPEN | ||
1 | J. Lyon (Mor.) | 36:55 |
2 | D. Blewett (Mor.) | 37:29 |
3 | M. Hill (Mor.) | 38:42 |
U17 | ||
1 | S. Bridge (Y) | 38:19 |
2 | C. Stewart (Moe) | 41:08 |
3 | R. Sargar (Y) | 45:03 |
5000 METRE U15 | ||
1 | A. Lucas (Moe) | 20:06 |
2 | S. Cooke (TA) | 20:32 |
3 | G. Hedt (Y) | 20:36 |
U13 | ||
1 | M.Scammell (TH) | 21:44 |
2 | T. Soplakow (Mor.) | 22:53 |
3 | D. Colbran (Mor.) | 24:08 |
Husband and Wife Traralgon Marathon Winners
Traralgon Marathon, The Journal, Monday, 1979 – Martin and Linda Thompson
Mt Tassie King and Queen of the Mountain The Journal, 14th August 1969
The Journal, Monday Sept.8, 1969 – Page 1
Traralgon Harrier and world-class long distance runner Ian Wheeler of Sale finished fifth in the Canadian Exhibition international marathon championship. The race was held at Toronto, Canada, recently. Wheeler, who last month was named Caltex —Journal Sports Star of the Month, was one of a three-man Australian team which competed against top athletes from the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Japan.
The marathon, held in conjunction with the annual Canadian National Exhibition, started before a crowd of 30,000. Wheeler finished the course of 26 miles 385 yards in the excellent time of 2 hours 22 minutes. The winner was R. Julian, from New Zealand in 2 hours 16 minutes. On his return to Australia Wheeler said “it was a good, tough race held in warm conditions.”
Traralgon Harriers are now in training for the Victorian marathon championship to be run at Tyabb September 20. A large number of juniors and seniors is expected to enter. Senior 12 and six mile and junior 3000 metre races will be held Sunday from the racecourse.
The Journal, Thurs. Oct. 16, 1969 – Page 18
Traralgon Harriers will conduct the Gippsland All Schools Athletics Championships of 1969 at the Traralgon Recreation Reserve on Easter Saturday and Easter Monday, April 5 and 7. Harriers were allocated the championships by the Victorian Amateur Athletic Association and the Victorian Women’s Amateur Athletic Association. The club’s application for use of the reserve was granted this week by city council. The club will also hold its final track meeting for the season at the reserve. Several Melbourne and country clubs are expected to compete. Harriers also had to come to an agreement with the Traralgon Football Club before making the application to council. Footballers share the reserve with the club
Traralgon athletes made a clear sweep of this year’s Latrobe Valley Cross Country Championships which concluded at Yallourn on Sunday. Garry Henry of Traralgon Harriers won the ‘5000 at Moe and 8000 at Warragul and the 10000 at Yallourn. The 5000 and 10000 metre runs established new best times for the courses. Garry has been running for eight years and is having his most successful year carrying all before him in the distance track events and now cross country events. In the under 16 division John Preston, who had not competed since representing Achilles in Little Athletics had his first race for a brilliant win in the 2500m at Moe. He had to loan his colours to Harrier Stephen Wigg in the Warragul 4000m.
STRONGLY: John showed his love of hills in the 8000m at Yallourn on Sunday when he ran strongly to win by 250 metres from Don Hamilton with Stephen Wigg close behind in third place. With Alan Ashmore finishing second to Garry Henry in each open event and getting good support from John Eyre and Mark Flanagan. Yallourn won the open teams’ pennant with Traralgon Harriers’ Morwell and Traralgon Achilles finishing in that order.
Traralgon athletes will stage a marathon relay from Traralgon to Bairnsdale on Friday to raise funds on behalf of a partially blind Bairnsdale man who is to compete in the Disabled Olympics in August. Jeff McNeill, 20 is partially blind, he has often competed in events with members of Traralgon Harriers amateur athletic club with success. McNeill is the only Victorian competitor to take part in events for the partially blind at the Disabled Olympics, to be staged at Toronto from August 3 to 11.
Traralgon runners have decided to help find some of the $2100 needed for McNeill to attend the games. He will compete in the high jump, long jump, javelin and 100 metres run. The local runners will complete about 15km each during the relay on Friday. Leaving Traralgon at 9am, they will pass through Rosedale at 10:45am, Sale at 12:45pm and Stratford at 1:55pm., arriving in Bairnsdale at about 6pm. During the relay collections will be taken up in each town and from people along the route. Funds raised will be presented at a Ball being held in Bairnsdale on Friday night by the local committee sponsored by the Mayor of Bairnsdale, Cr J.T. Stephenson. Donations from Traralgon may be forwarded to Mr G. Parker at Albroys Service Station, Princes Street.
Three Traralgon Harriers helped search for the athlete who was found dead in the snow at Mt Erica yesterday. Barry Thompson, club secretary, and his two sons Martin and Leigh, and Chris Collins, all Harriers, were in the search. Martin Thompson and Chris Collins found the car of 36-year-old Warragul runner Geoff Watt three miles from the summit. Richard Jeffery went to Mt Erica to help in the search, but he was quarter of an hour too late. He arrived at 6.45am and received word at 7am that Watt had been found dead.
The Journal, Monday Sept.8, 1969 – Page 16
Mt Tassie King and Queen of the Mountain, Sport, 25th September 1975
The Journal, Monday June 7, 1976 – Page 2
Mt Tassie King and Queen of the Mountain The Journal, 14th Oct 1971
The Journal, Thursday May 29, 1975 – Page 10
Keith Williams held off the fast finishing John Bermingham to win the Traralgon Harriers six-mile handicap race last weekend. Williams looked set for an easy win when he held a good lead over front marker Jim Timmer-Arends at the half way mark. Bermingham, who ran a splendid race from behind raced through the field to close the gap Williams had established, but the finish loomed too soon and Bermingham had to be content with second, place. Third place was filled by Garry Henry, who also performed well. Bermingham’s loss to Williams softened by the fact that Bermingham recorded fastest time of 31 minutes 16 seconds — an excellent time considering he also ran a marathon last weekend. Second and third fastest times were recorded by G. Duffell (34:56) and G. Henry (36:08).
Seven Harriers competed in the Victorian Marathon Club’s annual marathon at Tyabb. No Harriers retired on the tough course, although there was a 50 percent dropout rate for the race. First Harrier to finish was John Bermingham who stuck with the leading bunch including the world’s fastest marathon runner, Derek Clayton, and the Australian 10,000 metre champion, Terry Harrison, for some time.
Clayton finally won the event from Peter Bruce. Bermingham came equal third, with Harrison in a time of 2 hours 27 minutes. Other Harriers to compete and finish were, in finishing order, Richard Jeffery, Graeme Davis, Martin Thompson, Leigh Thompson, Bruce Inglis and Keith Williams. Performances suffered some because of the rough, strenuous course.
Results of 6-mile handicap: Keith Williams (38:44) 1, John Bermingham (31:16) fastest time 2. Garry Henry (36:08) 3.
The Journal, Monday June 15, 1970
Young John Bermingham broke the course record Sunday at the close of the 1969 road and cross country season for Traralgon Harriers. The final day’s events were the junior two mile and under 15, under 17 and open three miles. Bermingham broke the course record to win the open three-mile race in 14 minutes 51 seconds. He was followed by John Turpin second in 16 min. 24 sec. with Chris Collins third in 16 min. 42 seconds. This was an excellent run by Bermingham who broke Rod Hill’s record of 14 min. 56 sec. It is his first season at distance running and if he decides to keep it up it will not be long before he is shattering state records. It was also a good run by John Turpin who ran a personal best time to come second. The under 17 three-miles was won by 15-year-old Robert Cooper who had had a good season. He won in the fast time of 16 min. 29 sec. and was followed by Scott Rae second in 16 min. 44 sec. The under 15 three-mile event, saw a great battle between Keith Tomholt, and Garry Henry with Tomholt the winner in 16 min. 57 sec. followed by Henry 17 min. 4 sec. Colin Gregson was third in 17 min. 25 sec. T. Tomholt won the junior two-mile race in the good time of 12 min. 34 sec. followed by A. Rumble in 12 min. 48 sec. with M. Scammel third in 13 min. 28 sec.
Results and Times
Table 49 1969 Young Harriers Results
No. | NAME | TIME |
Junior two-mile championship | ||
1 | T. Tomholt | 12:34 |
2 | A. Rumble | 12:48 |
3 | M. Scammel | 13:28 |
4 | C. Hoffman | 15:37 |
Under 15 three-mile championship | ||
1 | K. Tomholt | 16:57 |
2 | G. Henry | 17:40 |
3 | C. Gregson | 17:25 |
4 | P. Tomholt | 19:70 |
Under 17 three-mile championship | ||
1 | R. Cooper | 16:29 |
2 | S. Rae | 16:44 |
Open three-mile championship | ||
1 | J. Bermingham | 14:51 |
2 | J. Turpin | 16:24 |
3 | C. Collins | 16:42 |
4 | M. Thompson | 17:10 |
5 | G. Lont | 17:17 |
6 | R. Wood | 18:02 |
7 | L. Thompson | 18:23 |
Next Saturday at the Showgrounds is the start of the track and field season. Everyone interested in athletics, male or female, has been invited to go along. Both primary and secondary school students along with adults have been asked to be at the ground by 1:30pm. There will be events for all age groups.
Under 13's, Peter Scholtes, Neil McKinnon and Alan Rumble
These little athletes are a happy lot, win, lose or draw. For example, look at Peter Scholtes (St Michaels), Neil McKinnon and Alan Rumble (both Harriers), three fit young runners in the Under 13 section. More than 300 children from four years upwards compete at the Showgrounds every Saturday morning
The Journal, Mon. Oct. 20, 1969 – Page 14
