Jasper Nettlefold had no intention of just making up numbers in the Ballarat Gift at the Eastern Oval at the weekend.
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He was there to make a statement over the 120 metres.
Nettlefold did just that by taking out the Freight Bar and Restaurant Ballarat Gift from 7.75m on Sunday.
He produced just enough to keep charging Michael Romanin (4.50m) off his heels. Nicholas Repalust (7.50m) was third.
Ballarat’s Tom Moloney finished seventh in drizzly conditions in the eight-strong field.
The Mornington Peninsula sprinter was one of the most impressive heat winners on Saturday and then carried that form through his semi-final on Sunday.
Nettlefold said he had gone to Ballarat aiming for a top three finish, with his previous best of a fifth in this season’s Rye Gift reinforcing to him that he had the form.
He said he would have been disappointed with anything less.
However, Nettleford thought he was going to come up short at the midway point of the final.
“I thought I’d blown it at 60 metres.”
He said he remained composed though and followed what had been drummed into him over his four years of running.
“I kept my knees up.”
Most of the leading contenders raced their way through to the semi-finals, with 2014 Ballarat Gift winner Nathan Riali, Will Johns, Michael Romanin and Nettleford the most impressive heat winners.
Moloney also showed he is a runner of promise with his win in the opening heat.
