Warrnambool Gift
Jacinta ERMACORA (Western Victoria) (10:01): On Saturday 30Â November 2024 I had the pleasure of attending the Warrnambool Gift. This athletic event continues to grow in Warrnambool, with 672Â entries in 2024, and that is up from 482 in 2023. Significant athletes that competed on the day included dual Olympian Ellie Beer; the White Tiger, Paralympian Chad Perris; and Australian 400-metre titleholder Cooper Sherman. Five previous Stawell Gift winners also competed in the event. It was held at the impressive Reid Oval in Warrnambool, which was in recent years upgraded with the help of a $7.1Â million grant from the Allan Labor government. As one of the athletes commented to me, the surface of Reid Oval rivalled Stawell in its perfect soft green. The event was very well run and was supported by around a thousand-strong crowd in the stands. I thank all the organisers and volunteers and in particular Gilly Hayden and Richard Wearmouth and the committee for a very, very successful event.