Next generation on show at Family Day

Date: 8th April 2012

Winning the Australia Post Stawell Gift can take years of preparation and training. With the runners in the main event having today off ahead of tomorrow’s semi-finals and final, it was the next generation of athletes in the limelight today at Central Park, Stawell.

Among them was Queensland’s Tim Delahunty. The national under 15 flags champion at the recent Australian Surf Life Saving championships was competing at the Australia Post Stawell Gift for the first time and impressed onlookers with a strong 11.11 second victory off 6 metres in the Boys Under 17 100m.

Coached by Brett Robinson and training alongside 2009 Stawell Gift winner Aaron Stubbs, Delahunty said he enjoyed his first trip to Central Park.

“The club and my coach really promote it as a good experience. Everybody else comes down, so I thought I’d join in the fun,” Delahunty said.

“I definitely want to come back and run in the Gift and see how I go.”

Chloe Banard (Baxter) won the Workco Under 17 Girls 100m in 12.07 seconds off her 12.5m handicap ahead of the fast finishing national under 17 100m champion Hana Basic (Box Hill South; 12.11s) who ran from scratch.

Little Athletics participants were also on show in the McDonalds Little Athletics 100m. Caulfield Little Athletics Centre’s Nicholas Makris and Horsham Little Athletics Centre’s Annaliese Bush respectively won the boys and girls events.

At the other end of the age spectrum, the Necropolis Florist and Café Hank Neil Sportsman Veterans 100m saw the closest finish of the weekend so far, with Shane Buckingham (Westmeadows; 10.5m) given the nod from the judges after a long period of deliberation ahead of the ACT’s Kevin Matthews, the father of 2010 Stawell Gift winner Brendan.

In the Victory Restricted Handicap over 1600m Jacob Reed (Grovedale, 160m) hit the lead with 120m to go to win by 20 metres, with Matthew Bateman (Albert Park, 155m) winning the Women’s and Veterans’ 1600m in similar fashion.

The Gift Hotel Arthur Postle 70m was taken out in 7.61 seconds by NSW’s Ian Hinton (4.25m), who backed up just minutes later to qualify fastest for the final of tomorrow’s Keith Hayes Memorial Bill Howard 100m.

The WH Earle 550m was an exciting affair with the backmarker Simon Fitzpatrick (St Kilda; 17m) getting an inside run down the straight to take victory. Nicholas Cross (Carnegie; 32m) won the SportsBiz 400m Series in 46.60 seconds, running down the gallant frontmarker Kasey Moore (Wantirna; 70m), who placed second.

Turning attention to Finals Day tomorrow, the 131stAustralia Post Stawell Gift is a wide open affair, with only 0.15 seconds separating the 12 fastest times from Saturday’s heats.

Jamaican sprint sensation Michael Frater, the flamboyant John Steffensen, engineering student Josh Tiu, school teacher Kevin Brittain and AFL boundary umpire Adam Coote will all be in the mix in tomorrow’s 2012 Australia Post Stawell Gift semi finals, the prelude to the grand finale at 2:45pm. (See attached media release distributed earlier today for the semi-final draws and form guide).

The action on Easter Monday won’t be confined to the sprints, with world class distance runners Nicholas Kipkoech (Kenya; Northern Grampian Shire Council 800m), Jeff Riseley (Retravision Herb Hedemann 1600m Invitation) and Craig Mottram (Thirsty Camel Grampians Backmarkers 3200m) all starting from scratch in their respective events.

Other high profile Australian athletes in action include 400m hurdlers for the London Olympics, Lauren Boden (Endura Sports Nutrition Lorraine Donnan Women’s 400m) and Brendan Cole (Stawell Gold Mines Gift Winners’ 120m), and 2010 Australian 100m champion Melissa Breen (State of Victoria Strickland Family Women’s 120m).

The Australia Post Stawell Gift semi-finals (12:40pm) and the 131st running of the Gift final (2:45pm) headline a packed day of finals racing action on Monday.

For those who can’t make it to Central Park this Easter, tune into the live broadcast on ONE from midday to 3pm on Easter Monday.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.stawellgift.comor at the gate.

Winning the Australia Post Stawell Gift can take years of preparation and training. With the runners in the main event having today off ahead of tomorrow’s semi-finals and final, it was the next generation of athletes in the limelight today at Central Park, Stawell.

Among them was Queensland’s Tim Delahunty. The national under 15 flags champion at the recent Australian Surf Life Saving championships was competing at the Australia Post Stawell Gift for the first time and impressed onlookers with a strong 11.11 second victory off 6 metres in the Boys Under 17 100m.

Coached by Brett Robinson and training alongside 2009 Stawell Gift winner Aaron Stubbs, Delahunty said he enjoyed his first trip to Central Park.

“The club and my coach really promote it as a good experience. Everybody else comes down, so I thought I’d join in the fun,” Delahunty said.

“I definitely want to come back and run in the Gift and see how I go.”

Chloe Banard (Baxter) won the Workco Under 17 Girls 100m in 12.07 seconds off her 12.5m handicap ahead of the fast finishing national under 17 100m champion Hana Basic (Box Hill South; 12.11s) who ran from scratch.

Little Athletics participants were also on show in the McDonalds Little Athletics 100m. Caulfield Little Athletics Centre’s Nicholas Makris and Horsham Little Athletics Centre’s Annaliese Bush respectively won the boys and girls events.

At the other end of the age spectrum, the Necropolis Florist and Café Hank Neil Sportsman Veterans 100m saw the closest finish of the weekend so far, with Shane Buckingham (Westmeadows; 10.5m) given the nod from the judges after a long period of deliberation ahead of the ACT’s Kevin Matthews, the father of 2010 Stawell Gift winner Brendan.

In the Victory Restricted Handicap over 1600m Jacob Reed (Grovedale, 160m) hit the lead with 120m to go to win by 20 metres, with Matthew Bateman (Albert Park, 155m) winning the Women’s and Veterans’ 1600m in similar fashion.

The Gift Hotel Arthur Postle 70m was taken out in 7.61 seconds by NSW’s Ian Hinton (4.25m), who backed up just minutes later to qualify fastest for the final of tomorrow’s Keith Hayes Memorial Bill Howard 100m.

The WH Earle 550m was an exciting affair with the backmarker Simon Fitzpatrick (St Kilda; 17m) getting an inside run down the straight to take victory. Nicholas Cross (Carnegie; 32m) won the SportsBiz 400m Series in 46.60 seconds, running down the gallant frontmarker Kasey Moore (Wantirna; 70m), who placed second.

Turning attention to Finals Day tomorrow, the 131stAustralia Post Stawell Gift is a wide open affair, with only 0.15 seconds separating the 12 fastest times from Saturday’s heats.

Jamaican sprint sensation Michael Frater, the flamboyant John Steffensen, engineering student Josh Tiu, school teacher Kevin Brittain and AFL boundary umpire Adam Coote will all be in the mix in tomorrow’s 2012 Australia Post Stawell Gift semi finals, the prelude to the grand finale at 2:45pm. (See attached media release distributed earlier today for the semi-final draws and form guide).

The action on Easter Monday won’t be confined to the sprints, with world class distance runners Nicholas Kipkoech (Kenya; Northern Grampian Shire Council 800m), Jeff Riseley (Retravision Herb Hedemann 1600m Invitation) and Craig Mottram (Thirsty Camel Grampians Backmarkers 3200m) all starting from scratch in their respective events.

Other high profile Australian athletes in action include 400m hurdlers for the London Olympics, Lauren Boden (Endura Sports Nutrition Lorraine Donnan Women’s 400m) and Brendan Cole (Stawell Gold Mines Gift Winners’ 120m), and 2010 Australian 100m champion Melissa Breen (State of Victoria Strickland Family Women’s 120m).

The Australia Post Stawell Gift semi-finals (12:40pm) and the 131st running of the Gift final (2:45pm) headline a packed day of finals racing action on Monday.

For those who can’t make it to Central Park this Easter, tune into the live broadcast on ONE from midday to 3pm on Easter Monday.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.stawellgift.com or at the gate.

Comments are closed.