The Seymour Gift has made a comeback, 20 years since the running event was last held at Kings Park.
Athletes from across Victoria competed at the December meet for a share in $20,000 of prize money.
The gift forms part of the Victorian Athletic League competition fixture, which was established in 1895 to conduct athletic carnivals during summer.
On an average summer’s day, the dedicated committee of the Seymour Running Club (SRC) hosted close to 1000 athletes, officials, spectators, and sponsors at the Kings Park facility, with even a bookmaker on site.
Undoubtedly, the home crowd favourites were the SRC-Kelfit squad of 15, named in honour of their coach Kelvin Lubeck.
Mr Lubeck’s interest in running started when his father founded the Seymour Little Athletics Centre in 1968, the 36th athletic centre in Victoria to open.
He said the day exceeded their wildest expectations, and thanked all who made the day possible.
“Thanks to Country Wide Turf solutions, the track was the best I have ever seen for sure,” he said.
Take your marks!
The Lubeck Plumbing Open 70m event attracted over 100 sprinters. Kelfit entered Olivia Barry and Hayden Anderson across 15 heats, including three nail biting semi-finals.
Anderson sailed through the finals and quickly became one to watch. In front of an ecstatic home crowd, he finished first and won $600 in prize money and a sash.
A sponsor from Highlands Joinery congratulated Anderson.
“Super proud of this little superstar,” he said.
“During the working week, Hayden’s building incredible cabinetry, and when [he’s] not at work, he spends his time building up
his speed.”
The Australian Trenching and Excavations 300m for over 35s sprint—also known as the World’s Richest Masters 300m race—attracted over 70 runners, with $3500 in prize money to share.
Kelfit entered Ian Porter across seven exciting heats.
When Porter reached the finish line first, he collected a cool $2500 and a sash.
Unfortunately, the stewards fined him $300 for inconsistent performance and $200 for causing interference to various athletes at the 120m mark.
All eyes were on the Loan Gallery 550m open heats when Kelfit entered Nicholas Dundon, Julian Morgan, and Cooper Lubeck across four big heats.
Only C. Lubeck qualified, and he quickly became the crowd favourite for the final race. During one of the heats however, he received a warning from the stewards for waving to the crowd.
When C. Lubeck crossed the finish line first, his fans exploded onto the course to congratulate him. C. Lubeck won $1200 and a sash.
The heat is off
No heats were needed when the middle-distance runners mustered to the starting line for the Nagambie Rowing Club 800m over 45s race.
SRC President and Kelfit squad member Blair Collins was one of 48 athletes who tested their speed and endurance in the event.
At the finish line, visiting competitor Dale Millard claimed victory and $500 cash in prize money, while Collins finished seventh.
The longest race of the day,—the Yulong 1600m Open event—saw 44 hopefuls compete for a share in $2000. Kelfit entered Dundon, Mandessah Wyatt, C. Lubeck, and Olivia Attard.
Attard placed fifth, while visiting competitor Ted Kavanagh-Dando finished first, winning $1200 and a sash.
Wins and misses
Kelfit entered three of their younger members into the 120m Caffeine Bistro under 14s mixed event, and the LPR Toolmakers 120m under 18s mixed heats. Unfortunately, they did not qualify to run in the finals.
The next seven heats in the lead up to the Microenterprise Launchpad 120m women’s event saw Barry, Isabella Morgan, and Lucy Zotti represent the Kelfit squad.
Only Zotti sprinted her way into the final race. Unfortunately, she finished in eighth place, while visiting competitor Alex Tzilantonis finished first and won $1700 in prize money and a sash.
In the DB Results 120m men’s event, Kelfit entered Anderson and Hugh Murphy.
Anderson progressed to the semi-final heat, and in the exciting final he placed fourth.
When the officials extended the track for the Enhance Physiotherapy and Health 400m Open women’s heats, Kelfit entered Zotti, Attard, and I. Morgan. Only I. Morgan made it into the final race and finished third, while visiting competitor Caitlyn Nicholson finished first and won $1200 in prize money.
The grand final
The SRC hopes to host the Seymour Gift again next year. In the meantime, they will prepare for the Stawell Gift held over the Easter long weekend.
“We hope most of the squad will run again at the 2025 Stawell gift,” K. Lubeck said.
“We train three nights a week and some do pilates on the other nights. The Stawell Gift is like our grand final.”
