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Hargreaves wins Mount Gambier Gift

Posted on November 30, 2009, 11:11am

Victorian Shaun Hargreaves was the outstanding performer at the ninth annual Mount Gambier RSL Classic Carnival on Saturday.

The talented 21-year-old won the $10,000 120m final after earlier winning the 70m sprint handicap.

Hargreaves, who — by his own admission — had not won anything of note in his running career — had just centimetres to spare from the luckless Alex Saliu, who also ran second in the recent Whyalla Gift.

Both Hargreaves and Saliu started the final off 7.50 metre handicaps and were joined by former Bay Sheffield winner, Clay Watkins (3.25m), Peter Walsh (7.75m), Nathan Dixon (8.75m) and outmarker Jarrad Dartnall (11.75m).

Leanne Hodge also scored a winning double, taking out the Women’s Mount Gambier Gift and then following up with victory in the 400m handicap and exuberant youngster James Boden was impressive in winning the novice 120m handicap but in even better form when he took the open 400m as well.

Hargreaves had qualified for the final by finishing second to Robbie James in the last of seven heats and then racing to a slick win in the semi final’s, stopping the clock at 12.81 seconds.

It wasn’t the quickest of the semis, but on a wet track, it was around the mark for what was needed for the final.

In a desperate lunge to the finish tape, Hargreaves edged out Saliu, who earlier had won both his qualifying heat and semi, but couldn’t clinch the race he wanted.

Trained in Victoria by John Henry, Hargreaves said he was shocked to have won.

  • Full report in The Border Watch on Tuesday.
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