Speedster keen to get noticed

IPSWICH Lightning Gift winner Mitchell Delacy is keen to get noticed in his bid to secure an American scholarship.

He took a giant stride forward in his goal with a confident victory at Bill Paterson Oval on Sunday.

Delacy won the $3000 Ipswich Lightning Gift (110m) in 11.13 seconds, from Isaac Dunmall (11.22s) and Andrew Hodges (11.24s).

With a distinctive haircut and personality to match, the 16-year-old backed himself all the way through Sunday’s heats, semi-final and final.

“That was really good – my first time in a big race that I’ve won,” the Sunshine Coast athlete said.

With a handicap of 15m, the year 11 student thought he could win with about 10 metres to go.

His next mission is the Noosa Gift in October, another handicap race.

“I’m trying to get through to nationals and get a scholarship in America,” he said. “I just want to be picked up really.”

His “hair-raising” effort contributed to his longer-term plan. “I think people will notice . . . (they will say) he’s the only one with the mo-hawk,” the teenager said.

Meanwhile, Ipswich and District Athletics Club newcomer John Hardy was encouraged by his fourth placing in the final.

He reached the top eight out of 40 runners from six heats.

“There were a few boys in front of me. It’s a bit intimidating,” he said.

“I was a little bit nervous in my first race but I’m happy with four months of training to come fourth.”

The RAAF Amberley traffic controller wants to see how far he can progress in competitive sprinting.

“It gives me a bit of a heads-up what to expect from racing,” he said, “where I need to put more into as far as training goes.”

Last year’s Gift winner Jack Conway finished sixth.

The $2000 Ipswich Ladies Gift final was full of drama.

After a false start, the event’s first international entrant Toea Wisil dipped on the line to win. The Papua New Guinea Commonwealth Games representative just beat regular Gift runner Stacey Hearne.

“After thinking I’d won it, it’s a bit of a letdown,” Hearne said.

However, the University of Queensland club athlete was heartened by her best finish on her third attempt in the annual Ipswich race.

“I just enjoy the handicap racing. It’s good fun,” she said, having finished fourth in 2007 and 2009.

She is hoping to compete at national titles in sprinting and possibly hurdling.

“I’ve just come back from injury so I just want to get back to where I was,” she said. “I got better with every race.”

Wisil was thrilled to finish off a top day’s racing with a late surge.

“It was good. I expected to win,” she said, preparing to represent PNG at the Commonwealth Games in October.

Wisil planned to put her winnings towards training gear.

Charotte Van Vaneendaal created Ipswich Winter Carnival history by becoming the first female competitor to make the Ipswich Ladies Gift and Ipswich Lightning Gift finals.

She was fourth in the ladies final and seventh in the men’s final.

Nathan Carr won the 300m Masters Wallet and Julie Brims took out the 70m Master Ladies Purse.

Other highlights included Prenzlau-based thrower Melissa Hamer setting personal bests in the under-16 (40.80m) and open discus (41.42m).

Boosted by an excellent off-season, she produced three throws better than her old personal best of 40.13m.

Country and Western singer Matti Biskit played on the day.

Ipswich athletics pioneer, 92-year-old Bill Paterson, was also honoured after a special QT feature (August 21) on him.
 

Major races

Ipswich Lightning Gift final (handicap in brackets): 1. Mitchell Delacy (15m) 11.130; 2. Isaac Dunmall (15m) 11.220; 3. Andrew Hodges (13m) 11.240;

4. John Hardy (13.5m) 11.350; 5. James Woodgate (9.5) 11.420; 6. Jack Conway (5.75m) 11.490;

7. Charotte Van Vaneendaal (13m) 11.690; 8. Chauncey Andolfatto (6.5m) 11.691.

Ipswich Ladies Gift final: 1. Toea Wisil (2.5m) 11.650; 2. Stacey Hearne (9.75m) 11.650; 3. Kristy Know (11m) 11.700;

4. Charotte Van Vaneendaal (2m) 11.740; 5. Julie Brims (9.5m) 11.750; 6. Emily First (7.25m) 11.980;

7. Tarryn Kelly (10.5m) 11.990; 8. Tatum Shaw (7m) 12.120.