Maryborough Gift: Letton takes Necklace Handicap

By David Brehaut
Updated November 2 2012 - 6:28pm, first published January 2 2012 - 11:22am
South Australian Megan Letton.
South Australian Megan Letton.

A SWITCH to the professional running classic distance of 120 metres has quickly delivered Megan Letton with a sprinting crown.Letton, 27, captured the Necklace Handicap at the Maryborough Highland Gathering yesterday.“It’s better than I hoped for,” the South Australian said.Letton (13.5m) ran 14.278 seconds to get the better of Eleni Gilden (10.75m), with Ballarat’s Tara Domaschenz (8m) third.Letton has been campaigning at some of Victoria’s meets for the past four years, trying her luck at Stawell, Ballarat, Daylesford, Ararat and Maryborough.Maryborough is now without question her favourite destination, having won the women’s 400m at the venue last year ahead of yesterday’s success.Up to the end of last season 400m was her speciality.This is no longer the case.“I’ve turned everything upside down – my whole preparation and approach.”Letton said her focus was now completely on 120m.She said the Bay Sheffield in her hometown of Adelaide last week had been her first target.“I just came up short (of a final berth).”With such a hectic schedule since Christmas, Letton is returning to SA before making another tilt at the Victorian Athletic League circuit later in the season.She said while Stawell was definitely on the agenda, a clash with a wedding meant she was unlikely to get to the two-day Ballarat Gift Carnival on February 11-12.Letton finished second in the 400m and was a women’s gift semi-finalist at Stawell last year.Letton just came up short of a double at Princes Park yesterday, finishing second to fellow SA athlete and friend Lisa Roberts in the women’s/veterans’ 300m handicap.Roberts said Letton usually edged her out and it was nice to have the upper hand this time.Maryborough marked Roberts’ first Victorian Athletic League title. Roberts, who went to university in Burwood, said a move back to her home state and revamped training regime had lifted her sprinting career.She felt fitter, leaner and in better shape to attack this summer.Roberts capitalised on a generous handicap of 73m for clear wins in her heat and final.

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