SIX of the best from the Orange Runners Club took to the track at the NSW Country Track and Field Championships at Lake Macquarie and came away with a swag of medals.
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But the star of the show was Mitch Williamson.
Williamson, competing in the open men’s 20-29-year-old’s division, took out the five kilometre track race in a time of 15 minutes and 38 seconds, while also winning the 1500 metre run, crossing the finish line in an impressive time of 4.02.
Williamson also broke the two minute mark in coming fourth in the 800m, running 1.59.
And in the state championships two weeks ago, Williamson smashed his personal best time time of 15.52 over 5000 metres, shaving over a minute off the mark to crash through the 15-minute barrier with a time of 14.51 to finish fourth.
You’re probably wondering just how did Williamson beat his previous best by such a massive margin.
Not even he knows.
“I knew I’d been running well but I didn’t know that I would go that well,” Williamson laughed.
He was also happy with breaking through the two-minute barrier in the 800 metres.
An event Williamson admits he hadn’t done a lot of preparation in.
“That’s pretty big,” he said looking back at the race.
“I don’t do a lot of training with the eight (hundred). I was a little surprised to do that after running a couple of races the day before.”
Nicole Williamson was another standout, coming fourth in the 1500m while coming second in the 800m in the open women’s 20-29-year-old division.
In the same division, Amber Rich was third in the five kilometre track event and a commendable fifth in the 1500m run.
Competing in the women’s 30-39-year-olds events Carrie Williamson came first in the three kilometre track event and third in the 800m.
Of the men, Jim Rich swept the pool in the men’s 60 plus age group, coming home with gold in the five kilometre track, the three kilometre run and the 1500m run.
While just as impressive in the same competition, John West finished first in both the three kilometre walk and the javelin while also winning bronze in the shot putt and the discus.
Mitch Williamson said he was working towards the state 1500 metres championships in April.
“The goal is to make the final,” Williamson said.
“They will be pretty strong fields in Homebush with a lot of Commonwealth Games runners and Olympic Games runners. If I can make the final and maybe run 3.55, I’ll be happy with that.”
