IPSWICH Athletics has launched its new season with renewed energy and a wave of fresh members joining the club.
President Vic Pascoe said the influx of new athletes has brought added enthusiasm to training and competition as the club steps into one of its busiest periods of the year.
The season opened with a solid showing at the Queensland 5000m Championships held at the University of Queensland.
The event featured four men’s heats run as timed finals, with Ipswich represented by a promising group of developing distance runners. Taylor Hudspith recorded a time of 18:02.03 to finish 10th, while Jack Thomas placed sixth in his heat in 16:11.39.
Seventeen-year-old Joshua Lehmann impressed with a time of 15:20.42 for eighth in Heat 2, and in the top-seeded heat, Connor Whittet clocked 15:08.67 to finish 10th. Their performances highlighted the increasing depth and competitiveness within the club’s middle and long-distance squad.
Attention is now turning to the next generation of athletes preparing to compete on the national stage.
The 2025 Australian Secondary All Schools Championships will take place in Melbourne from today, followed by the Schools Challenge meet on December 8.
Ipswich Athletics will send a large and diverse contingent of juniors to the event, many of whom are chasing personal bests and valuable experience ahead of the Queensland Athletics Championships in March.
The team includes throwers, hurdlers, sprinters, jumpers and distance runners across multiple age groups, reflecting strong development pathways within the club.
The club’s summer calendar remains packed, with key competitions approaching quickly.
The Australian All Schools Championships will be followed by the Midweek Shield at QSAC on 12 December.
January will also feature a series of major meets.
