HIS TRAINING partners were all on holidays but metropolitan sprinter Matthew Eddy wanted to start the New Year running.Eddy’s resolution paid off, capturing the $15,000 Maryborough Gift title at Princes Park yesterday.The 31-year-old powered through his heat and semi-final off 10 metres, advancing as the fastest qualifier at each stage, to set up his biggest Victorian Athletic League victory.In a tight final, and with temperatures topping 40C in the open, Eddy stuck to his plan.“I could feel them coming but about the 80-metre mark I concentrated on my own race,” Eddy said.“I felt good out there – I wasn’t sure how I’d go in the heat but I felt all right.“The worst part was warming up and warming down again.”Eddy fended off Geelong sprinter David Tinney, who chased him off 8.5m, to cross the line first in 12.29 seconds a fraction ahead of Tinney.Crowd favourite Cam Dunbar (7.75m) from Ringwood East was third in 12.56 in a near-photo finish from Doug Greenough.Eddy, from Narre Warren, was the only member of the Kerry McConnon stable competing at Maryborough.He was thrilled he made the choice to hit the track, pocketing $8000 for topping the podium.The roof plumber and part-time personal trainer devotes about six nights a week to his running training and said he felt in great form.Victory has given him confidence and drive to be out in force at the major VAL meets this summer – a certain contender for the Ballarat Gift on February 11-12 and Stawell Gift in early April.Eddy has been on the VAL circuit for about eight years and this was only his third time at Maryborough.But he definitely planned on coming back. Ballarat sprinters Rod Mathews (10.75m) and Matthew Wiltshire (6.5m) were knocked out in the Gift semi-finals.Both fell short of Eddy, who won semi-final three in 12.32 seconds with Doug Greenough (8m) and Josh Tiu (9m) advancing from the same semi-final as the next fastest qualifiers.Mathews was in strong form early, finishing second in heat six, while Wiltshire was backmarker in heat seven and won a spot in the semis as a fast qualifier.