Old Virgilians Jack Hale (SVC 2011-14) AND Jacob Despard (SVC 2010-13) again fronted for this year’s Stawell carnival. Jacob had previously won the gift in 2018 and Jack gained a third placing in 2016.

This year, both were eliminated in the semi-finals and subsequently were included in the backmarkers 120m race, which included the likes of 17 year-old sensation Gout Gout, Lachlan Kennedy (silver medallist in the 60m event at this year’s world indoor championships) and 2023 gift winner Ryan Tarrant.

The result was as follows and the race can be viewed on YouTube.

Place Athlete Handicap Time

1 Ryan Tarrant 3.5m 12.274

2 Chloe Mannix-Power 14.0m 12.296

3 Jack Hale 2.0m 12.349

4 Lachlan Kennedy scratch 12.386

5 Carla Bull 15.5m 12.410

6 Olivia Hastings 15.5m 12.420

7 Gout Gout 0.5m 12.475

8 Jacob Despard 2.0m 12.491

Despard to China

Congratulations to Jacob on his inclusion in the 4 x 100m squad to contest the World Relay Championships in Guangzhou, China from 10-11 May. The team broke the national record at the Paris Olympics with a time of 38.46 seconds and bettered that with a time of 37.87 seconds at the Sydney Track Classic on 15 March. (World and Commonwealth record is 36.84 sec.)

Title Defended