Top guns at spectacular
SOME of Australia’s best athletes will light up Landy Field next week for the seventh annual Geelong Steigen Spectacular.
Track and field athletes looking to set a qualifying time for next year’s Commonwealth Games means high quality entrants at this year’s meet.
National 1500m record holder Ryan Gregson headlines the men’s events, while 400m Australian champion Morgan Mitchell will be a feature in the women’s races.
Event manager Dom Godfrey said locals were in for a ripping night of entertainment next Saturday.
“It’s exciting and it’s great to have them all running in Geelong. It’s an event that we’ve been growing for a number of years now and it’s great that this one has come just before Commonwealth Games,” Godfrey said.
“Especially the elite 5000m men’s, but every event will have former Olympians or striving Olympians
“This is the pointy end of the year for athletes, everyone is trying to get that qualifying time, so it will be nice having people running fast in Geelong.
“Ryan Gregson is probably the most well-known but there are a number of others, and Patrick Tiernan did really well in the recent world championships.
“Morgan Mitchell is a star on the track for the women, but once you get people like that signing up, a lot of people want to take them down and get involved in a fast race.”
Race events for the Geelong Steigen Spectacular include the men’s 10,000m and the men’s mile, as well as the women’s 5000m and 800m.
Men and women will compete in the 100m sprint, 400m, under-16s 800m and the pole vault, which is the only field event.
Godfrey said the organising team for the Geelong Steigen Spectacular was once again excited to offer a high standard athletics event for regional Victorian families.
“It’s great to be able to offer that to diehard athletics fans in Geelong and Ballarat, and Melbourne, who will come down and be watching,” he said.
Local footballers may also be interested in attending the free event, with organisers holding a longest kick tournament with a $2000 prize on offer for the winner.
The Geelong Steigen Spectacular will be held at Landy Field on Saturday, December 23, and will start at 5.30pm.