Green, Pasquali sprint to Bendigo Gift victories

Green and Pasquali powered to victory in the men's and women's gift finals at the Flora Hill track on Saturday evening.

Pasquali showed why she's regarded as one of Australia's best young athletes with a powerful finish to claim the AASB Bendigo Women's Gift.

Racing off a handicap of nine metres, Pasquali ran down Tiana Shillito (18m) in the shadows of the post to win in a time of 23.09 seconds.

In the process she denied Shillito a fourth Bendigo Gift victory, albeit her previous three wins were over distances of 120m and 100m.

Backmarker Jessica Payne (4m) finished in third place.

A winner of the Australian All-Schools 400m title and Australian Under-17 400m Championship in 2022, Pasquali was elated to claim a major Victorian Athletics League trophy.

"I felt Jess coming hard behind me and Tiana was right next to me, so I really didn't know until the last few metres that I was going to win,'' Pasquali said.

"Being a 400m runner, the 200m of this race suited me better and I really enjoyed it. It was a great race to win."

Pasquali also won the women's 70m final earlier in the day.

"I won the 400m here last year as well, so I really enjoy coming to the Bendigo Gift,'' she said.

Pasquali's next goal is the Stawell Gift carnival on the Easter weekend.

"I won't race again until Stawell,'' she said.

"I'll do the Gift, the 70m and the 400m at Stawell and then I have the national championships the week after that.

"I'll just be running the 400m at the nationals."

Green scored one of the biggest wins of his track career when he edged out Bendigo's Oliver Muggleton in the COGB Bendigo Men's Gift.

Racing off 11m, Green ran down early leader Kevin Brittain (16m), but he had to withstand a late charge from Muggleton (10m), who was making his VAL debut.

Green won in a time of 20.58 seconds - just 0.074 of a second ahead of Muggleton, with Brittain holding on to finish third.

"Coming around the bend I really wasn't sure if I was going to catch him (Brittain),'' Green said.

"I dug in and got there at the end.

"This win is right up there for me. I've won the Wangaratta Gift and the 70m at Stawell, so this one is pretty special."

He lauded the decision to extend the Bendigo Gift from 120m to 200m.

"It's tough to run 200m back-to-back (through the heats, semi-finals and final),'' Green said.

"It favours the athletes who are leaner with longer legs, which is great for me.

"It was good to have something different."

One of the best races of the night was the Edwards Providore Women's 400m.

Maroona's Laura McDougall made a great start from her 46m handicap and by the time she reached the home turn she'd hit the front.

Clea Clifford (24m) made up good ground in the middle stages of the race and looked a chance to run down McDougall.

In a driving finish, McDougall clung on to edge out Clifford, with Hannah Lindstrom charging late to grab third in a brilliant three-way go in a time of 53.79 seconds.

Geoff Jordan took the honours in the George Flack 800m for Athletics Bendigo-aligned athletes.

Jordan made light work of his handicap and had the race won 200m from home.

A gallant Ross Douglas powered home in the final 100m to grab second place, but Jordan was never going to be reeled in.

Youngster Bradie Sheldon ran an impressive race to finish third.

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