EAGLEHAWK’S Emily Heislers will be eyeing a rare feat when she races in Saturday night’s final of the Richard Kitt Memorial 1500m at the Bendigo International Madison carnival.
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Winner of the classic a year ago, Heislers will start off the 25-second mark in the Flack Advisory-backed event to be run at 6pm at the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
Since it was first run in 1977, Leigh Nolan from YCW is the sole athlete to achieve back-to-back wins and Ian Wellard is the only other multiple winner.
The Heislers family will also be represented by Emily’s father, David off the 45-second mark in Saturday’s feature final.
Athletes to watch include Bendigo Harriers’ Anne Buckley and Peter Cowell; University’s Ross and Melissa Douglas and Craig Green; and South Bendigo’s Taryn Furletti, Kyle Hilson and Aaron Norton.
Winner of the Richard Kitt title two years ago, Yvette Tuohey from Bendigo Harriers will start off the 30-second mark with clubmates Zahli Drummond and Eric Baker, and South Bendigo’s Leigh Browell.
The backmarker, Kye Jenkyn will concede a 110-second start to clubmate Hunter Gill and will need strong support from the likes of Mike Bieleny, Wil McCaig and Riley Osborne to chase and then pass their rivals.
Field for the Richard Kitt Memorial, 1500m:
Hunter Gill, go; Melissa Douglas, Ross Douglas, 15; Anne Buckley, 20; Kyle Hilson, Charles Chambers, Emily Heislers, Alice Wilkinson, Maddison Hooke 25; Zahli Drummond, Eric Baker, Leigh Browell, Yvette Tuohey 30; Geoff Jordan, Aaron Norton 35; Bridie Blake-Burrows 40; David Heislers 45; Victor Cook, James Bentley 50; Taryn Furletti, Peter Cowell, Isaac Everett, Craig Green 70; Declan Osborne 75; Mike Bieleny, Riley Osborne 85; Wil McCaig 100; Kye Jenkyn 110.
Past winners include Leigh Purtill, Andy Buchanan, Brady Threlfall, Libby Jones, Keith Macdonald, Paul Boxshall, Jessica O’Hara, Shayleen Curtis, and Greg Hilson.
Meanwhile, the 37th running of the Sally Conroy Memorial 200m will be among the highlights of this weekend’s Bendigo International Madison carnival.
Victory in the G.L. and G.M. Hilson Builders-backed event is one of the most sought-after on Athletics Bendigo’s track calendar.
First two in each of Saturday’s heats at 3pm, 3.03 and 3.06pm advance to Sunday’s final at 3.54pm.
Runners to watch include South Bendigo’s Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Hilson; Eaglehawk’s Gabe Rusbridge, James Bentley and Tim Sullivan; University’s Ross Douglas; and Bendigo Harriers’ Ben Powell, Brett Gilligan and Zahli Drummond.
The Sally Conroy Memorial was first won in 1978-79 by YCW’s Stephen Ryan.
Past winners include Darryl Nettleton, Neil Macdonald, Brittany Eastman, Kirrily Burnett, Peter Dyett, Ant Sutton, Madeleine Lawson, Kaitlyn Bryce, and Brett Gilligan.
Field for the 2017 edition: Heat 1: Andrew Bruce, scratch; Brett Gilligan, 6; Arshdeep Singh, 17; Kyle Hilson, 32; Eden Dunstone, 32; Shannon Dillon, 39; Ebony Whiley, 50.
Heat 2: Ben Powell, 3; Hamish Wild, 13; Tom Savage, 20; Geoff Jordan, 34; Ross Douglas, 38; Zahli Drummond 42.
Heat 3: Fraser Symons, 5; Tim Sullivan, 16; James Bentley, 27; Gabrielle Rusbridge, 35; Leigh Browell, 38; Peter Savage 50.
