Cleary to defend Queen of the Mountain title Players win gold at championships

WINNING her first-ever King of the Mountain challenge last year was a fantastic moment for young athlete Lee Cleary.

And as her victory began to sink in, she was thrilled to discover she had achieved another significant milestone – she had beaten her father, Lewin Cleary, to the finish line.

Now aged 20, Lee is in her final training for this year’s Bendigo Bank Mountain Challenge on Sunday 23 July to defend her title of queen.

Lee said she is pounding the trails in the forests near her Kandanga home with her father and her sister Ann, and completing a weekly run of the actual course as well.

“As we get closer that will probably move up to twice a week so that we’re race ready on the day.”

Lee has been running with her father and sister since she was a youngster, and as a 13-year-old she was first crowned princess of the Prince and Princess race in 2016.

Six years later she was crowned queen, after an astonishing performance on the downhill section of the newly extended 5.2-kilometre course.

Lee was 50 seconds behind the race leader when she reached Mount Cooroora’s 438-metre summit but by the time she had completed her descent, Lee was one minute and 25 seconds in front.

The official race report described her descent as “fearless”.

“You can’t hear what they’re [the spectators] saying and I thought one of them was telling me I was in second or third place.

“So I didn’t know I was in front until I was pretty much at the finish line,” Lee said.

Lee’s time of 40:39 was almost a full two minutes ahead of second-placed Arlene Brownlow. Lee also crossed the line 50 seconds ahead of her father, Lewin.

A regular Bendigo Bank Mountain Challenge contestant, Lewin’s time of 41:29 scored him third place in the Male Master’s Division but dropped him down a notch in the Cleary family bragging rights.

Lee’s sister Ann came home third in the Open category.

The Mountain Challenge event is sponsored by Bendigo Bank, supported by Noosa Council and Zinc 96.1.

COOROY Badminton Club

(CBC) is celebrating a significant win.

CBC players Amber and Lena (pictured) won gold at the 2023 Brisbane Winter Doubles Championships recently.

The event, organised and run by the Brisbane Badminton Association, was held in Coopers Plains in June.

The CBC said by bringing home the gold from the championships, Amber and Lena had made “some history” for the club.

Cooroy Badminton session times are Monday 9:30 to 11:30 am and 7:30 pm to late; Wednesday 9:30 to 11:30 am and 3:45 to 5:00 pm. Junior training (term time only) is on Fridays from 4 to 5:30 pm; Junior Beginners coaching Fridays 5:30 to 7 pm; Adult and Junior Intermediate coaching Fridays 7:30 pm to late. Casual entry $8 per session or $5 for members. New members welcome.