Another Gift awaits

THE past two Stawell Gift sprints have been significant moments in Jacob Despard’s life for very different reasons.

Despard became only the third Tasmanian to win the illustrious footrace in its 137year history when he took it out in March but it was the 2017 event that helped him find the desire and drive he needed.

“I went to Stawell last year untrained and in no real condition at all,” Despard said. “I didn’t even make it out of the heats. That weekend I thought ‘next year I am going to be in the final’. I didn’t think I would win it but that did make me fall back in love with it.”

The 21-year-old represented Australia in a junior team in 2014 but started to lose his passion for running shortly after.

“Since being a junior I have turned 18 and kind of got lost in the system,” Despard said. “I had a one or two-year break.”

That decision to turn his life around and give running another go paid off for Despard and he has now experienced a feeling no one can take away from him.

“It’s a moment I’ll never forget,” Despard said. “The buildup to Stawell was an emotional rollercoaster. To cross that line and to actually win was a surreal feeling.”

Despard is ready to defend his title next year and a move to Melbourne to live with fellow Tasmanian sprinter Jack Hale has put the former St Vir- gil’s College student in a healthy environment.

“That [winning the Stawell Gift again] would be a pretty awesome thing to do but I’m going to have a pretty tough mark next year,” Despard said. “We have got a lot [of training] implemented for this pre-season so I can’t see why it can’t be a possibility.”

A back-to-back Stawell Gift isn’t Despard’s only goal for next year.

“I would also like to make another Australian team this year,” he said.

“There are a couple of op- portunities there with the Doha World Champs and the Bahamas World Relays.

“It would be good to sneak on to those teams, even if it was just for a relay.”