SPRINTER JACK HALE HAS TO RUN OFF HISTORIC MARK

Welsford kings of Wheels as history is made

SPRINT sensation Jack Hale did not leave the Burnie Carnival empty-handed despite being handicapped out of contention in his bid for the Burnie Gift.

Hale, who won the Latrobe Gift, made the semi-finals of the big race, ultimately won by local runner and physiotherapist Daniel Geeves.

but running off a historymaking backmark of minus one metre, he had an uphill battle catching the field and finished fourth.

“I’ll come back and have another crack next year,” the Australian under-20 100m record-holder said.

It was the first time in the carnival’s 131-year history there was a gift starter from behind scratch.

An anonymous local donor put up a bonus $1000 to push the gift prizemoney up to $10,000 if Hale could get the job done from his mark.

“I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before, it’s pretty cool,” the sprinter said of the bonus.

“Any money made during this series will go towards future competitions, so it all helps.”

An hour later, Hale lined up for the 120m GHD Invitation Sprint and much to the crowd’s delight crossed the line first to win the $1100 prize.

West Australian cyclist Sam Welsford also made history at the carnival, becoming the first male rider to win three Burnie Wheels in a row.

Welsford has been the golden boy of this year’s carnival series also winning the Latrobe and wheelraces.

Young Hobart runner Kiani Allen competed at Burnie for the first time and took out the women’s Gift in style.

“I didn’t come here expecting to win. I can’t believe it really but the support has been fantastic,” Allen said.

She said she was pleased to see the prizemoney in the women’s gift to rise to $7000. Launceston

Maeve Plouffe, of South Australia, secured another win at Burnie in the women’s wheel after claiming the event at Devonport.

“I knew Amy Cure was right behind me, so I had to just spin as fast as I could,” Plouffe said.

“I am usually an inside track cyclist, so the wind was tough. It is fantastic to win two major races in my first year as a senior athlete.”