Bendigo Gift locked in for Labour Day weekend

The race returns to the Flora Hill Athletics Complex on Saturday March 11 during the Labour Day long weekend.

Bendigo Athletics president Craig Burnett said plans were underway for a big day of racing.

"We've got the green tick and we are going ahead," he said.

"We've just finalised all of the details during the past couple of days and will be announcing further information after our consultation with the Victorian Athletics League."

Sport news:

The Bendigo Gift is traditionally held alongside the Bendigo Madison at the Tom Flood Sports Centre, but due to delays to upgrades at the facility the prestigious cycling event isn't going ahead this year.

The athletics meet will include a range of foot races including the iconic men's and women's sprints, in addition to 200m, 400m and 800m events.

The meet will be a single-day event starting in the afternoon and concluding under lights during the evening.

"Last year it attracted plenty of interest and we're expecting the same amount of entries again this year," Burnett said.

"It was a real mixing pot as we had runners from Melbourne, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.

"Also age-wise there were kids as young as 14 all the way through to masters in their 70s competing.

"Overall they loved the track and the atmosphere out at Flora Hill."

At last year's meeting, Melbourne-based athlete Chris Vi found success in the men's race, while Ballarat's Tiana Shillito won her third-straight Gift (2019,2020,2022 *event did not take place in 2021*)

Bendigo's own Lonain Burnett (58m) charged to victory and held off Cameron Yorke (58m) and Cooper Lubeck (52m) on the home straight to win the 800m open.

"Fingers crossed that I can do it again," Lonain said.

"I've had a bit of a slow start to the year, but training wise I am getting back into things now."

After his long-time coach Neil Macdonald retired, Burnett has started working with renowned Ringwood-based coach Nick Fiedler.

He has decades of experience coaching at the elite level and has helped several athletes secure Gift wins across the country.

Burnett has been thrilled with the work he and Fiedler have been doing.

"I've been lacking a bit of speed so we've been focusing on getting more work into my legs for faster turnovers," he said.

"But also some of the usual stuff which is helping me achieve shorter repetitions by breaking down my races into different fractions."

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