Another Stawell Sash for Jacob!

Both Jack Hale (SVC 2011-14) and Jacob Despard (SVC 2010-13) competed at the 2022 Stawell Easter Athletics Carnival.  

Unfortunately both failed to make it through to the final of the of the prestigious gift which Jacob won the Gift, valued a $40 000, in 2018.

However, both competed in the Furphy – Chris Perry Memorial Backmarkers’ Invitational Handicap over 120 metres with Jacob winning the victory sash and one presumes another ‘earner’.  In doing so he defeated the reigning National 100m champion Jake Doran and training partner who Jack finished 5th in the race.

Both Jacob and Jack are hopeful of selection in the Australian team to compete in the this year’s Commonwealth Games and the World Athletics Championships.

Speaking of sashes – in 2013, as a 16-year-old, Jacob won the lucrative Burnie Gift and the sash that went with that win is on loan to the College and is part of a display of  former student wins of this event, of which there are eight, in the Centenary History Centre.

Also on display is Jack’s SVC athletics singlet – the one he wore at the Southern SATIS Carnival on September 24 2014 when with a time of 10.44 sec in the U/16 100m dash he announced himself to the world. With the stunning performance which immediately became a social media hit: 

• he broke the meet record for the U/16 and Open event
• established a Tasmanian U/18 and U/20 and open residential record.
• at only 16 he became the fastest Tasmanian in history.
• broke the National U/18  record for the distance