THE entire women's podium from the 2021 Ballarat Gift is set to return to this year's event after entries and handicaps were released on Tuesday.
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Winner Zoe Neale will look to defend her crown off 4.75m, slightly lower than the 5.5m she ran off to win last year's title. Training partner Taylah Perry has fared slightly better from the handicapper this time around set to go off 6.5 metres as opposed to the 6m from last season.
Perry won last year's 70m title on the Saturday before backing up with a strong showing over 120m on the Sunday,
Last year's third placed getter Olivia May is also back and would be considered a huge chance to improve her position on the podium off 10.75m.
Ballarat Harriers runner Grace Kelly has been given 4.25m, however she will be happy not to be the backmarker this year with that position to be taken by Wonga Park's Jessica Payne who will run off 4m.
Stawell Gift winners Hayley Orman and Ed Ware have also both entered with Orman (7.5m), Kelly and Lucas' Chloe Kinnersley (9.75m) all set to square off in the first heat of the day.
Ware has been allotted 4.25m, with the backmarker set to be 2020 Ballarat Gift winner Michael Hanna who will start off 3.75m. Last season's winner in the men's Spencer Browne is not among the entries. Ballarat rising star Cooper Sherman, coming off a record-setting weekend over 200m, has been given 4 metres in the feature as he attempts both the 70m and 120m races.
Another highlight is expected to be the return of Australian 400m star Luke Stevens who has entered in the 400m, but will face an enormous task off scratch.
Stevens who has a personal best of 46.05 in 2016 is on the comeback trail after a serious injury. In his one 400m this season, he ran a 49.41 on January 8 in Melbourne.
Ballarat Gift committee president Andrew Hoffman said organisers were thrilled to have so many of Australia's top runners set to grace the track.
"The number of entries has been exceptional and above our expectations considering the impact COVID has had on many other gift carnivals," he said.
"Ballarat 2022 Gift will have 35 events with 800 athletes competing over the two days, starting with the junior Dash for Sash to Master's 120m finishing off with the 4x200 stable relay on Sunday.
Women's 120 Gift heat draws
Heat 1
Grace Kelly 4.25m, Elizaeth Ruach 6.25 Hayley Orman 7.5 Chloe Kinnersly 9.75 Katie Moore 11 Halle Martin 12 Loryn Savoia 14
Heat 2
Zoe Neale 4.75 Olivia Russo 6.5 Victoria Stiliadis 7.5 Amber Van Eede 11.5 Ramona Casey 12.5 Laura Mcdougall 15.25 Isabella Antonino 18
Heat 3
Holly Dobbyn 5.5 Taylah Perry 6.5 Olivia Hastings 7.75 Hannah Lindstrom 11.75 Amelia Cross 16 Cassandra Ware 18 Megan McMahon 18
Heat 4
Ellie Keratianos 5.5, Liv Ryan 6.75 Keely Henderson 8.75 Zoe Glassborow 10.25 Jody Richards 11.75 Tiana Shillito 12.75 Chloe Barnard 18
Heat 5
Holly Hansen 6 Grace O'Dwyer 7 Caitlin Hawks 9 Grace Carter 10.5 Cara Boustead Hill 11.75 Meg Deane 13 Alex Tzilantonis 18
Heat 6
Jessica Payne 4, Bethany Jones Durham 6 Miriam Suares-Jury 7.5 Hayley Openshaw 9.25 Olivia May 10.75 Hannah Duynhoven 12 Gemma Fairclough 13 Caitlyn Nicholson 18
Final Sunday 3.35pm
Men's 120m Gift heat draws
Heat 1
Munashe Hove 4.75m Hayden Crowe 6. Connor Callinan 7 Benjamin Newman 7.5 Rupert Lugo 8 Tom Yeung 10 Noddy Angelakos 12
Heat 2
Aaron Leferink 4.75 James Forrest 6.25 Campbell Butson 7 Thomas Moloney 7.5 Rhys Gillson 8.25 Dion Paull 8.75 Mohamad Zeed 10
Heat 3
Isaac Dunmall 4.75 Jesse Patterson 6.5 Tim Eschebach 7.25 Jack Lacey 7.75 Hugh Hoffmann 8.25 Michael Romero 9 Ryan Camille 10.25 Cam Dunbar 12.5
Heat 4
Jackson Bennett 4.75 Eugene Read-Spinks 6.5 Kyle Perrin 7.25 Patrick Martin 7.75 Matt Burleigh 8.25 Stuart Aberdein 9 Mason Keast 10.25 Chris Diegan 12.75
Heat 5
Sebastian Baird 5 Hamish Adams 6.75 Maki Loukeris 7.25 Lincoln Barnes 7.75 Harrison Kerr 8.5 Daniel Quattrone 9 Jack Doderico 10.25 Tim Rosen 14
Heat 6
Michael Hanna 3.75 Jake Ireland 5 Jack Ramsay 6.75 Brett Richards 7.25 Jesse Cordoma 7.75 Jerome Lugo 8.5 Dominic Hoskins 9.25 Kevin Brittain 10.5
Heat 7
Cooper Sherman 4 Samuel Taylor 5 Ryan O'Neil Parker 7 Jason Bailey 7.5 John Evans 8 Darcy Ireland 8.75 Rhys Parkinson 9.5 Chris Vi 10.5
Heat 8
Nathan Riali 4 Edward Ware 5.25 Duncan Cameron 7 Tom Perry 7.5 Endale Mekonnen 8 Corey Baker 8.75 Luke Mitchell 10 Paul Tancredi 11
The men's final is scheduled for 3.45pm on Sunday afternoon.
