Cream rises to the top in Stawell Gift heats, but no clear favourites

Images by Luke Hemer, courtesy of Stawell Gift

The feature 120m gift races at the Stawell Gift are still open for the taking, with some impressive heat runs but no definitive favourite.

The fastest five heat winners in the Change Our Game Women’s Gift were within a tenth-of-a-second of each other, with Victorian hurdler Danielle Shaw the fastest at 13.64 seconds, running off a mark of 5.5m. Carla Bull (6m, 13.65s), Olivia Hastings (7.75m, 13.69s), Jessica Payne (4.75m, 13.70s) and 2015 Stawell Gift winner Grace O’Dwyer (7.75m, 13.73s).

“The Australian Championships have finished now, and I always wanted to come to Stawell,” said Shaw.

“The atmosphere is amazing. We don’t get these crowds at Nationals or any big meet that we have so it is really good to see all the support.”

Of the back markers, Bree Masters (scratch) was the fastest in 13.78s, while fellow scratch-marker Torrie Lewis also won her heat in 13.97s. Mia Gross (0.75m, 13.80s) and Taylah Cruttenden (1.75m, 13.88s) also won donning the red vest.

In the men’s Gift it looks to be a race in two, with NSW pro-runner Hamish Lindstrom (7.75m, 12.06s) and a comfortable performance from Harrison Kerr (9.25m, 12.09s) a tenth-of-a-second clear of any other heat winner.

“I’m pretty happy with that performance, it’s an honour coming in as one of the favourites as this is such a big event,” said Lindstrom.

“I’m happy to be in the position I wanted to be, just need to execute on the day now.”

Jacob Despard (1.25m) was the closest of any of the back markers to winning his heat, with less than one-hundredth-of-a-second separating him from Connor Loughnan (5m) after a desperate lunge at the line. Scratch runner Eddie Osei-Nketia just missed out on a heat win behind Tom Griffin (9.75m) by a similar margin.

National champion Jake Doran (0.5m) finished third in his heat in 12.55s, two-tenths-of-a-second behind Endale Mekkonen (8.5m, 12.33s).

The semi-finals and finals take place on Easter Monday.

Heat winners

WOMEN

Heat 1: Danielle Shaw (5.5m) 13.64s
Heat 2: Mia Gross (0.75m) 13.80s
Heat 3: Carla Bull (6m) 13.65s
Heat 4: Taylah Cruttenden (1.75m) 13.88s
Heat 5: Olivia May (11m) 14.00s
Heat 6: Ellie Whittingham (6.75m) 14.43s
Heat 7: Grace O’Dwyer (7.75m) 13.73s
Heat 8: Olivia Hastings (7.75m) 13.69s
Heat 9: Amelie Burge (7m) 14.09s
Heat 10: Jessica Payne (4.75m) 13.70s
Heat 11: Cassandra Wang Iecouteur (7m) 13.89s
Heat 12: Bella Pasquali (8m) 13.90s
Heat 13: Bree Masters (scratch) 13.78s
Heat 14: Torrie Lewis (scratch) 13.97s

MEN

Heat 1: Hamish Lindstrom (7.75m) 12.06s
Heat 2: Harrison Kerr (9.25m) 12.09s
Heat 3: Corey Baker (7.25m) 12.42s
Heat 4: Jesse McKenna (6.25m) 12.23s
Heat 5: Duncan Cameron (5.75m) 12.38s
Heat 6: Nicholas Antonino (9.5m) 12.26s
Heat 7: Will Johns (4.5m) 12.49s
Heat 8: Tom Griffin (9.75m) 12.27s
Heat 9: Endale Mekonnen (8.5m) 12.33s
Heat 10: Jesse Cordoma (8.5m) 12.31s
Heat 11: Chris Vi (10m) 12.54s
Heat 12: Aidan Green (7m) 12.29s
Heat 13: Kyle Niccolussi (5m) 12.31s
Heat 14: Connor Loughnan (5m) 12.36s
Heat 15: Amanat Chaman (6m) 12.86s
Heat 16: Kieran Gordon (6.75m) 12.27s
Heat 17: Hasper Nettlefold (7.25m) 12.38s

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