Tinney was touted as a favourite for the $12,500 title prize leading into the Victorian Athletic League meet at Eureka Stadium.

He lived up to expectations with strong wins in Saturday night's heats and entered the final, off the 8.5-metre mark, as fastest qualifier after a stellar semi-final.

Tinney edged out Werribee's Shaun Hargreaves (7m) and 2006 Stawell Gift winner Adrian Mott (3.75m) on the line in 12.28 seconds.

Queenslander Tara Hawking took out the $2000 Ballarat Women's Gift sash in her first professional meet.

Hawking, training partner of reigning Stawell Gift champion Mitchell Williams-Swain, burst off the backmark to tear apart a field dominated by homegrown talent.

Ballarat's Kate Jones (9m), Nadia Domaschenz (8m) and Trish Fox (9m) were in the mix with Ararat pair Julia Boatman (10.5m) and Sarah Blizzard (8.25m), who finished third.

Tasmanian Kimberley Bush, impressed in the heats, was second.

Full coverage in The Courier tomorrow.

GIFT RESULTS

David TINNEY (8.5m) 12.28seconds

Shaun HARGREAVES (7m)

Adrian MOTT (3.75m)

Andrew ROBINSON (6.75m)

Benjamin WEAVER (6.25m)

Fabrice MELANIE (9.25m)

Bryce TEO (5.75m)

Tim ESCHEBACH (7.5m)

WOMEN'S GIFT RESULTS

Tara HAWKING (5.5m) 14.17seconds

Kimberley BUSH (9.25m)

Sarah BLIZZARD (8.25m)

Kate JONES (9m)

Catherine DONALDSON (10.5m)

Nadia DOMASCHENZ (8m)

Trish FOX (9m)

Julia BOATMAN (10.5m)