A PERSONAL best season for Bendigo athlete Jacob Nolan just keeps getting better.

On Monday, the 23-year-old from Strathdale collected his fifth Victorian Athletic League (VAL) win this year and on the grandest stage of them all at the Stawell Gift carnival.

His win in the 800m open handicap was his first at Stawell and the biggest of his burgeoning career.

Nolan, who started of 64-metres, needed to draw on every ounce of courage and determination to run down the frontmarkers Sean Quilty and Peter O’Farrell (both off 118m), to earn a popular win at Australia’s richest foot-race carnival.

Nolan’s winning time was 1:50.539, giving him victory over Quilty (1:51.107), with former Sandhurst footballer O’Farrell (1:51.344) third.

Fellow Bendigo runner Lonain Burnett finished eighth.

As he has done throughout his stellar 2017-18 VAL season, Nolan donated his $1000 winner’s purse to not-for-profit organisation Righteous Pups Australia (RPA).

The humble Bendigo Athletics Club athlete again hoped his gesture would inspire others to support the organisation, which was founded in Bendigo and that provides support to young people with a disability by training autism assistance dogs. 

“It all started with my friend (and fellow athlete) Adam Parker, he got me onto the idea of supporting Righteous Pups Australia,” Nolan said.

“I had a look into it and saw there was a little girl called Emily – she’s just been diagnosed with Batten disease and really needs the money.

“I thought it was only the right thing to do to donate my prizemoney to a cause like that and I can look back and always say I have done something worthwhile.

“Hopefully the gesture gets more people donating as well.

“Me donating is great, but we need more people helping out and hopefully that is what happens.”

One item Nolan won’t be handing over is the Stawell Gift winner’s sash he has worked so long and hard for.

“It means so much to me; it also means so much to my dad, my brother and my coach John (Burke) – hopefully I have made them all proud,” he said.

“We’ve finally won at Stawell.”

Monday’s race was Nolan’s second consecutive appearance in the open 800m final at Stawell.

He entered the race in blistering form following earlier season wins at Wangaratta, Ballarat, Keilor and the Bendigo International Madison carnival over three separate distances.

His purple patch started with a 3200m win at the Wangaratta Gift carnival in January and was quickly followed by wins in February over 1600m at Ballarat and 800m at Keilor.

Nolan followed up with a win over 800m at the Bendigo International Madison, a victory he labelled as his “biggest ever” at the time.

It would be fair to suggest Monday’s win was another career best for Nolan, who has now raised more than $6000 for RPA this athletics season.

RPA managing director Joanne Baker said everyone involved at the organisation continued to be floored by Nolan’s humility and generosity.

“The character of this young man is incredible – we were already proud of him before he went to Stawell, but as far as we are concerned he is a champion in our eyes,” she said.

“He is a remarkable young man.

“For us, the money is great and the publicity exposure is great, but what we really delight in is here is this young man, who has led this from the very start.

“He has worked his butt off from the very start to give all the accolades away for others.

“If we have one Jacob in a thousand (people), Bendigo is in a good place for the future.”