Athletics Essendon’s 40-plus men led the red-and-black charge on Saturday as the club claimed five gold medals from a total of eight at the Victorian Track Relay Championships at Lakeside Stadium.

The quartet of Mark Harper, Mark Giglio, Arron Downes, and Brett Maurer combined to clock 3min 33.51sec for their 4 x 400m event and claim victory by almost 14sec before Harper, Maurer, and Giglio backed up alongside Colin Ritchie to take out the 4 x 100m in 45.32sec.

Essendon’s under 18 teams were also too strong over the 4 x 100m events, the women’s outfit of Ruby Pizzo, Montana Djatschenko, Jennifer Mendes, and Catherine Mendes winning comfortably in 48.51sec and the men’s combination of Junior Mabia, Marcus Gugliemino, Christian McFaraland-Ravanello, and Saye Morris taking victory in 42.91sec.

The open women’s 4 x 1500m team of Anna Kasapis, Emilie Guy, Emily Mizis, and Charlotte Wilson also claimed gold in 18min 3.71sec.

Rounding out the club’s medal haul, the under 16 men’s 4 x 100m team was narrowly edged into silver and the under 16 women’s medley and under 18 men’s 4 x 400m claiming bronze.

Also among the club’s highlights for the day were the performances of its open 4 x 400m teams, which both progressed from their heats to book a spot in the final at the Zatopek:10 on December 14.

CLICK HERE for full results from the 2017 Victorian Track Relay Championships.