General News
19 July, 2023
Plans underway for Cobden Gift
THE inaugural Cobden Gift will kick-off the 2023-24 Victorian Athletic League (VAL) season.
THE inaugural Cobden Gift will kick-off the 2023-24 Victorian Athletic League (VAL) season.
The much-anticipated event is expected to draw a large field of quality runners to Cobden Recreation Reserve on Saturday, October 14.
Recreation reserve president Craig Dwyer said he was “absolutely stoked” the VAL had agreed to add Cobden to its list of prestigious running events and was looking forward to hosting the day.
“While entries have not yet opened, and the finer details of the Cobden Gift haven’t yet been finalised, we’re anticipating big crowds and a large number of runners,” Dwyer said.
“Bendigo Bank has been secured as the naming rights sponsor for the day, and we’ve also had great support from Saputo and others.
“The program will feature both distance races and sprints and will no doubt attract quality fields. It will be great for the town and for the district, boosting business for local traders and helping to put Cobden on the map.”
Twenty-two year old athlete Mia Gross, who has represented Australia at both a national and international level, will be the ambassador for the event.
Mia’s long list of achievements on the track include a fourth place in last year’s 4x100m relay at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and a seventh in the 4x400m relay at the World Under 20 Championships in Tampere four years prior.
“Mia is a well-accomplished athlete and we are thrilled to have her as our ambassador,” Dwyer said.
“We’re also in the process of planning a sportsman’s night for October 14 where Mia will be the special guest. This will be held in the rooms at the Cobden reserve.”
The Cobden Gift will be followed the next day (Sunday October 15) by the running of the Mortlake Gift at Wilsons DC Farran Oval.
It’s believed the Mortlake program will include the running of a 70m Open, 120m Men’s and 120m Women’s Gift, along with a 120m Masters (35+), 120m events for under 14 and under 18, and a 300m Masters (35+).
A 400m men’s, 400m women’s, 800m Open and 1600m Masters (45+) events are also on the draft program.