Moore success for sprint sensation
June 26, 2024
Bridport’s Lewis Moore has claimed a bronze medal at the State Cross Country Championships at Symmons Plains, surprising himself with the result over 2km last Tuesday.
The nine-year-old, who turns 10 next month, will now compete in the Under 11 Boys at the 2024 Australian Cross Country Championships.
Lewis has been running in Bridport Primary School Athletics Carnivals since Kindergarten and is renowned as a sprinter across 100m and 200m distances.
“I could not believe it because I thought I was a sprinter. I broke the 100m track record in April at the ENE Combined Athletics Carnival,” Moore said.
“I didn't realize I could be a good distance runner, so I am very excited to be selected in the Tasmanian Cross Country Team.”
Moore trains two to three times a week running at the Bridport Football Oval or along the Bridport Foreshore Track and gets extra fitness with lunchtime sports with his school friends, attending cross country training with Narelle Genge and “chasing cattle around the home paddocks”.
“I love running because it makes me fit and makes others fit,” Moore said.
He finished third in the State race, in a line-up of 248 other runners from around the State, in a time of 7:59 - just four seconds behind the winner.
The best young runners from around the country will be in Tasmania for the Athletics Australia Nationals, being held at Symmons Plains on August 31.
“I am going to try my hardest and train more,” he said.
“It makes me happy that my family and friends will be able to come and support me at nationals.”
Proud parents Dallas and Lorien said they hope the national experience will build his confidence in athletics both on and off the track.
Lorien is a past Tasmania State representative in Athletics achieving results in the 800m and 1500m and still holds 40-year-old records at Clarence Little Athletics across those distances.
Her greatest achievement was finishing second in the 800m and third in the 1500m at the
Australian Little Athletic Championships in Perth, WA, in 1984.
Forty years later, she is excited for her son’s sporting future.
“It’s so exciting watching Lewis run and get the same enjoyment as I did. Watching the start of the State championships with 248 runners racing up the hill at Symmons was just a great experience and we were so proud of how he finished,” she said.
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Cross Country runners represent in style
A team of 33 runners represented local North-East primary schools at the State Cross Country Championships, held at Symmons Plains last Tuesday.
The students were amazing ambassadors for the region, trying their hardest over the tough course and having the courage to compete alongside 250 other students from across the State in each race.
The following students finished in the top 30 in their respective races:
Grade 3 Girls - Clover Viney, 16th
Grade 3 Girls - Willow Lethborg, 27th
Grade 4 Boys - Lewis Moore, 3rd
Grade 4 Boys - Theo Hall, 13th
Grade 5 Girls - Lexie Viney, 25th
Grade 6 Girls - Catherine Coxen, 15th.
Grace Smylie, Lillian O’Toole and Catherine Coxen.
Hugh Rice, Riley Tucker, Miles Taylor, Tanner Lette, Lewie Hyland, Henry Stevens and Rory Lethborg.
Lewis Moore, Thomas Coxen, Theo Hall and Abel Waddingham.
Tegan Hall and Lexie Reid.
Amarli Taylor, Tegan Hall, Lexie Viney, Addison Hughes and Savanna White.