Entries for the inaugural WesTrac Bunbury Geographe Gift open today. With a $78,000 prize pool, the event has already attracted the attention of Australia’s top athletes including Rio Olympian Peter Bol and young gun rivals Jack Hale and Trae Williams.
Enter: https://bunburygeographegift2018.eventdesq.com/
With personal bests of 10.21 and 10.27 respectively for the 100m, the pair have been trading U20 national records and will be sure to set the track alight in Bunbury.
Hot on their heels will be recent Bay Sheffield Gift winner and one of Australia’s most exciting young talents, Sasha Zhoya.
Just fifteen-years-old, Zhoya is the second youngest ever to win the prestigious South Australian 120m event, and it’s $13,500 winner’s cheque. He also stormed to an emphatic win in the 70m dash, the first man to claim the sprint double since 1989.
Zhoya said he was looking forward to competing in Bunbury.
“There should be a massive turnout and with big prize money heaps of people are going to rock up, it’s going to be great,” he said.
Also confirmed for the event on April 28 and 29 is Australia’s fastest woman under 20 (11.59 100m), Riley Day, Bay Sheffield fourth-place-getter Dylan Panizza and finalist Taylor Sharpe along with women’s finalist Virginia Stasyszyn.
Modelled on the famous Stawell Gift, the Bunbury event will feature the headline men’s and women’s 120m along with 70m, 400m, 600m, skins elimination race and invitational 120m. In addition to this are mixed male/female 100m, 300m and relay events and a full little athletics program.
Event manager Jo O’Dea urged those thinking about competing or spectating to plan their travels and secure accommodation soon as interest was growing across Western Australia and interstate.
“Interest in both the athletics and family activities is growing and we are expecting a great turnout,” she said.
A full family program will run across the two-day event including 5km fun run, athletics clinics, parkour, lawn games, and yoga. Spectators will be well catered for with a licensed trackside lounge and Wyalup Beach cafe.
