Burnie Gift 2009 Report

Members Area Race Reports
1

There were 10 heats of the 2009 Burnie Gift, commencing at 3.41pm. Intermittent rain, some times a heavy downpour with extremely strong head winds in heats and semis.

HEAT 1
1st Ben Swain (11.75)
2nd Jefferson Taylor (9.25)
3rd Shaun Hargreaves (6.00)
TIME: 13.48

HEAT 2
1st Mohammed Zeed (7.00)
2nd Christopher Clear (9.75)
3rd James Hay (9.00)
TIME: 13.40

HEAT 3 (Run in hail & icy winds)
1st Matt Hargreaves (6.00)
2nd Dylan Hicks (9.25)
3rd Callum James (9.00)
TIME: 13.90

HEAT 4
1st Ben Englund (11.50)
2nd Robbie James (5.75)
3rd Matt Callard (8.25)
TIME: 13.52

HEAT 5
1st Cameron Yorke (8.75)
2nd John Adams (5.00)
3rd Luke Whitney (7.75) Broke - 6.75
TIME: 13.34 (fastest heat time)

HEAT 6
1st Peter Walsh (7.50)
2nd Andrew Flanagan (9.00)
3rd Luke Licht (11.25)
TIME: 13.58

HEAT 7
1st Lachlan Taylor (7.50)
2nd Gareth Jubb (8.50)
3rd Nicholas Magree (8.50)
TIME: 13.56

HEAT 8
1st John Jakeman (5.75)
2nd Rob Vidler (5.50)
3rd Monbo Jetoh (6.50)
TIME: 13.52

HEAT 9
1st Oliver Wurm (7.50)
2nd James Whiteroad (12.00)
3rd Clinton Brown (12.00)
TIME: 13.84

HEAT 10
1st Clay Watkins (5.25)
2nd Bradley McDonald (8.25)
3rd Dan LeMoto (8.00)
TIME: 13.78

There was a general feeling that the heats didn’t tell us much at all as the wind was blowing in heavy gusts and some heats were more affected than others. Cameron Yorke looked impressive and ‘at home’ in the conditions but Walsh, Jakeman & Watkins all looked good and strong to the line.

From the 10 heats, first 3 advanced to the semi finals.

30 runners in the semis - 14 TAS, 10 VIC, 3 SA, 1 ACT, 1 NSW, 1 WA.

SEMI 1
1st Monboh Jetoh (6.50) 17 year old African born local - brillian run!
2nd Ben Swain (11.75)
3rd Matt Hatgreaves (6.00)
TIME: 13.44
Surprise win as Jetoh was 3rd in his heat. Hargreaves looked a little flat after the week in Tassie. He has been up for a while -been running consistently well since October.

SEMI 2
1st Robbie James (5.75)
2nd Peter Walsh (7.50)
3rd Callum James (9.00)
TIME: 12.96
Cracker of a semi with James catching Walsh early and getting a metre up before Walsh came at him and kept driving to the line, missing by inches. Only race so far to break 13s. Best I’ve seen Robbie run - probably a metre better than the Bay Sheff and a terrific consolation after the disappointment of the Bay.

SEMI 3
1st John Jakeman (5.75)
2nd Matt Callard (8.25)
3rd Jefferson Taylor (9.25)
TIME: 13.10
Zeed started like a bullet and half way down looked to be in a battle with Jakeman. Zeed then broke down, allowing Jakeman to record a strong, easy win.

SEMI 4
1st Cameron Yorke (8.75)
2nd Rob Vidler (5.50)
3rd Clinton Brown (12.00)
TIME: 13.14
Again, Yorke just too tough and strong in the conditions. Not as convincing as his heat win but looked a big threat come the final.

SEMI 5
1st Clay Watkins (5.25)
2nd Gaerth Jubb (8.50)
3rd James Whiteroad (12.00)
TIME: 13.10
Watkins powered through for terrific win by 3m.

SEMI 6
1st Ben Englund (11.50)
2nd Brad McDonald (8.25)
3rd John Adams (5.00)
TIME: 13.34
Like last year, Englund looked gone early, but is deceptively strong over the last 30m and pulled away for a solid win.

Another classic Burnie final with no clear winner after the semis. Looked a race between the 4 mainlanders - Jakeman (ACT), Yorke (WA) & the 2 South Aussies - Watkins & James.

2009 BURNIE GIFT FINAL
RED - Clay Watkins (5.25)
WHITE - John Jakeman (5.75)
BLUE - Robbie James (5.75)
YELLOW - Monbo Jetoh (6.50)
GREEN - Cameron Yorke (8.75)
PINK - Ben Englund (11.50)

Good clean start with Watkins catching the two 5.75m men early. Yorke hit the front midway after hauling in Englund but Watkins caught him by the 90m mark and whilst Yorke battled on gamely and didn’t lose much ground in the last 30m, Watkins powered through winning by about 1.50m with Yorke 2nd and the strongly built Jakeman (3rd) about 30cm away, maybe 15cm ahead of James (4th) with the two Tassie lads a metre away in 5th & 6th.

2

Good review, any chance to review the bay sheff heats and SF, final ?

3

Hi Sharmer,

The less said about the 2008 Bay Sheffield the better. My belief is that it was not a good advert for the sport.

Therefore I’m reluctant to comment on it.

Let’s just say, I don’t think the handicapper had a very good meet. :rolleyes:

4

Youngy, if some europeans would be interested to compete in pro circuits, is there a kind of report they should provide regarding times?
How would it work, for example for a 10.5 sprinter or a 11.5 one?

5

Plenty of info available on the websites of the Victorian & South Australian Athletic League(s) websites:

http://www.val.org.au/

http://www.saal.org.au/

The registration form requests information such as PB’s, last 10 performances etc, to enable the handicapper to provide a competitive mark. The athlete must ensure it is accurate because if the handicappers/stewards find out later that false or misleading info has been provided, the penalty will be severe. Could be disqualification, handicap penalty or a heavy fine.

In respect to 10.5 or 11.5 runners.

For a 10.5 runner - expect a handicap of around 4.50 for the 120m Gifts.

An 11.5 runner having his first start would normally get the novice mark of 7.0m but possibly a tad more if there was enough evidence in the athlete’s history that 11.5 is genuinely as quick as he has ever run.

The novice mark is set down for athletes who have little history or never run before. It’s a starting mark then after a run or two the handicapper can actually see where he sits and can lift (or reduce!) the mark accordingly.

Joshua Ross had scratch at the 2008 Bay Sheffield. He has won two Burnie Gifts from scratch and a Stawell Gift from scratch. He has a PB of 10.08s. So scratch (runs the full 120m) is the right mark for him, providing he turned up in PB shape. That means he gives a 10.5 runner about 4.50m start.

However Josh was not in best shape at the Bay Sheffield and he failed to get past his heat, running 3rd in 12.57. He did win the invitation backmarkers off scratch in 12.71. (Head wind)

6

Youngy posted this in question about allan wells training but I think it is more appropriate in this thread.

“Tassie was exposed at Burnie - real problems with the dearth of sprinting talent. Seems to be a lack of good coaches as some of the athlete look like they could run but don’t seem to be achieving the results.”

I agree, I am not 100% convinced it is all coaching, it seems there are coaching who talk alot get the athletes. Our athletes just don’t want to train hard enough.

Monbo has been training for 2 years, but seems to getting advice from too many people and doesn’t know who to listen too, but also he likes the glory (through media and sponsorship) but isn’t aware or isn’t interested in the training that is required.

7

Monbo Jetoh has enormous talent and if guided correctly could be the best sprinter to emerge from Tassie since Simon Bresnehan.

But there’s not much happening apart from that.

Sam Crosswell isn’t running and others seem to be way off best form.

The women are not too bad although Morgan Whiley seems to have stagnated. I hear she has a couple of coaches - not sure if an athlete can perform listening to two masters?

Some Tassie runners had good handicaps at the Christmas carnivals but appeared to be out of form, allowing in-form interstate athletes to dominate the major Tassie races.

8

Sam is an interesting one.

His coach passed away last year, as well he had an achilles injury last year. Hurt his hamstring in a 200m on Tuesday night - is similar Monbo probably in general attitude.