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Flagstaff Hill Review
Mt Barker sprinter John Evans tightened his grip on the SA Athletic League’s Athlete of the Year award with an outstanding victory in the Flagstaff Hill Gift on Saturday. It was the Western District athlete’s sixth sash this season and third over the traditional gift distance of 120m.
Off the back mark of 6.0m, Evans over-powered Flinders’ Damian Tohl (8.25m) and Camden’s Hayden Rothe (9.00m) to score in 12.76sec.
Later in the night, running his first ever 550m race, Evans (24m) finished runner-up to Rothe (36m) after a titanic battle down the home stretch.
The 2nd place in the 550m, gave the versatile Evans the remarkable achievement of being placed in every distance from 70m to 550m in his first season of senior athletics. He has made 16 finals from his 19 starts.
“I just run the best I can every time and give it all I’ve got”, Evans said.
“The 550m was the toughest race I’ve run because it’s the longest and it’s more strategic than the others.”
Saints’ Melarn Murphy went home with two sashes from Flagstaff Hill, after triumphs in the under 18 girl’s 70m and the women’s 120m. Murphy (1m) ran 9.03sec to win the 70m from Zoe Smith and Molly Farmer (0m) then 40 minutes later from her back mark of 7m she flew past Camden athletes Kellie Symons (11m) and Niamh Henry (11m) to stop the clock at 14.36sec.
Port Adelaide’s Lyall Weir (6.75m) collected his first sash in 8 years, with a narrow victory over Flinders Tyson Hancock (10.75m) in the 70m Open.
Nikki Austin (32m) made it consecutive Flagstaff Hill 400m wins with a well-timed run hauling in Simone Rothe (70m) on the line.
In the open 1600m, after several minor placings, McKinnon Parade’s Mark Beveridge (260m) earned his first sash for four years, running away from Richard McMahon (300m) and David Girolamo (240m).
The John LeRay coached Cameron White made it a win for the locals, with the Flagstaff Hill veteran taking out the Over 45’s 400m.
Team Townley scored the trifecta in the Over 35’s 120m when Graham Henderson (29.5m) held on from Sue Turner (24m) and Lyn Peake (32m).
Hunter Window won the under 18’s 1600m while Coastals’ Charlie Hildyard (under 14’s 550m) and NBD’s Ned Merrigan (under 18 boy’s 70m) were each presented with their first sash after strong wins in their respective events.
Mt Barker sprinter John Evans tightened his grip on the SA Athletic League’s Athlete of the Year award with an outstanding victory in the Flagstaff Hill Gift on Saturday. It was the Western District athlete’s sixth sash this season and third over the traditional gift distance of 120m.
Off the back mark of 6.0m, Evans over-powered Flinders’ Damian Tohl (8.25m) and Camden’s Hayden Rothe (9.00m) to score in 12.76sec.
Later in the night, running his first ever 550m race, Evans (24m) finished runner-up to Rothe (36m) after a titanic battle down the home stretch.
The 2nd place in the 550m, gave the versatile Evans the remarkable achievement of being placed in every distance from 70m to 550m in his first season of senior athletics. He has made 16 finals from his 19 starts.
“I just run the best I can every time and give it all I’ve got”, Evans said.
“The 550m was the toughest race I’ve run because it’s the longest and it’s more strategic than the others.”
Saints’ Melarn Murphy went home with two sashes from Flagstaff Hill, after triumphs in the under 18 girl’s 70m and the women’s 120m. Murphy (1m) ran 9.03sec to win the 70m from Zoe Smith and Molly Farmer (0m) then 40 minutes later from her back mark of 7m she flew past Camden athletes Kellie Symons (11m) and Niamh Henry (11m) to stop the clock at 14.36sec.
Port Adelaide’s Lyall Weir (6.75m) collected his first sash in 8 years, with a narrow victory over Flinders Tyson Hancock (10.75m) in the 70m Open.
Nikki Austin (32m) made it consecutive Flagstaff Hill 400m wins with a well-timed run hauling in Simone Rothe (70m) on the line.
In the open 1600m, after several minor placings, McKinnon Parade’s Mark Beveridge (260m) earned his first sash for four years, running away from Richard McMahon (300m) and David Girolamo (240m).
The John LeRay coached Cameron White made it a win for the locals, with the Flagstaff Hill veteran taking out the Over 45’s 400m.
Team Townley scored the trifecta in the Over 35’s 120m when Graham Henderson (29.5m) held on from Sue Turner (24m) and Lyn Peake (32m).
Hunter Window won the under 18’s 1600m while Coastals’ Charlie Hildyard (under 14’s 550m) and NBD’s Ned Merrigan (under 18 boy’s 70m) were each presented with their first sash after strong wins in their respective events.
Last edited by youngy on Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:25 am; edited 1 time in total
), racingmania can sometimes be a pain in the butt, but he contributes to the forum, albeit riding a fine line. 
