GEELONG sprinter Angela Byrt exceeded her own expectations to take out the women’s 100m at the Daylesford Gift meet at Cricket Willow on Saturday.
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“I wasn’t expecting to make the final,” Byrt said.
She said she had initially treated the trip to Cricket Willow, where she also ran in the Daylesford Gift heats, as largely a “training” run.
While also meeting this need, the day was much more.
The 25-year-old came off the backmark to blitz her rivals in 12.66 seconds.
Byrt (1m) shaded emerging Ararat teenager Jacqui Scott, with the experienced Sonya Pollard (Mt Waverley) third.
Ballarat veteran Narelle Lehmann finished down the order in the eight-strong field.
Byrt has earlier won her heat in the fastest time of 12.62.
The Daylesford success provided confirmation for Byrt that she is on target
for her main goal in 2014.
She hopes to make selection for the Australian track team for the
Glasgow Commonwealth Games later this year.
Byrt confirmed her ambition to run in the 4x100m relay at the Glasgow Games.
She was a member of the national relay line-up last year
which narrowly missed out on qualifying for the world championships.
Byrt, who ran at the Warrnambool and Terang Gift meets earlier in the VAL season, is planning to mix professional and amateur events.
This includes the Victorian Country Track and Field Championships in Ballarat over the Australian Day long weekend.
Her next professional outing will be the Ballarat Gift next month followed by the Stawell Gift Easter Carnival, with nationals and Commonwealth Games selection trials the top priority.
HOW THEY FINISHED:
1-Angela Byrt (Geelong) 1m
2-Jacqui Scott (Ararat) 17.5m
3-Sonya Pollard (Mt Waverley) 14.25m
Heat winners:
Emma Johnson (North Melbourne) 5m - 12.82
Sonya Pollard (Mt Waverley) 14.75m - 12.94
Angela Byrt (Geelong) 1m - 12.62
Jacqui Scott (Ararat) 17.5m - 12.84