Star studded field for Mount Gambier Gift

Australian representatives, Gift winners & talented locals all set to vie for a sash

There is more than $11,000 in prizemoney on the line and 15 finals to be run and won at Vansittart Park this Saturday as some of the nation’s best athletes and some talented local hopes compete in the Mount Gambier Gift meet.

There will also be an extended Little Athletics program with invitations extended beyond the Mount Gambier club to the other six in the region.

There are a number of high profile competitors from the athletics world converging on Mount Gambier to try an secure a sash with the most high profile being Australian athletes Riley Cook and Izzy Batt-Doyle (pictured right at the finish line of the Melbourne Marathon).

The duo ran a coaching session with the Mount Gambier Little Athletics Club last year and this year have timed the visit to coincide with not just the Mount Gambier Gift but also the Blue Lake Fun Run – adding star power to both major events.

“We really enjoyed our trip last year and meeting all the kids and families at both the Mount Gambier Little Athletics club and Blue Lake Parkrun,” Izzi said. “

The running community in Mount Gambier is thriving at the moment and we can’t wait to get back down and be involved. We look forward to being involved in both the gift and the Blue Lake Fun Run” Izzi competed at the Tokyo Olympics and placed eighth in the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in the 5000 and 10,000m, as well as, just last month, securing the fastest time ever by a female debutant in the Melbourne Marathon in a time of 2:28:10. Riley also had a strong Melbourne Marathon, finishing fourth in a personal best time, adding to his second place at the Australian National Cross Country Championships in August. The duo also founded RunAsOne – an Adelaide based training group with than 400 members and a runners café in Norwood – The RunHouse.

The Aussie runners are running this Friday night’s Little Athletics session and will be competing in the 1600 and 3200m events at Saturday’s Mount Gambier Gift meet before lining up in the Blue Lake Fun Run on Sunday, The national stars will be joined by a litany of other strong

contenders for the Gift sprint titles:

• Javon Brijmohan – Bay Sheffield
Winner 2021
• Matthew Forrest – Loxton Gift Winner 2022
• Tayla Philis – Camden Classic Winner 2022
• Luke Bero – Bay Sheffield 550m Winner 2019
• John Evans – Bay Sheffield 550m 2018 & Camden Classic Winner 2019
• Jarrad Dartnall – Camden Classic Winner 2018

There has always been strong local support of the event too, with Hayden Crowe, Shylah Fosdike and Leila Croker all returning to make their mark after strong 2021 showings.

The live schedule will be available on the day via the SAA website and the Mount Gambier Gift facebook site.