The atmosphere was subdued but the pace was hot at the NSW Sprint Champs at Botany on Saturday.
With everyone very mindful of the coronavirus protocols, the 200 participants kept a respectable distance socially while being able to really stretch their legs on the flat open parkland beside Botany Bay.
Courses started with some short zigzagging through the dunelands in the western section. This was much more deceptive than the map shows and several people lost valuable time in here.
Once clear, though, it was a sprint in all senses of the word back past the lakes, the playground and the animal sculptures to the finish beside the oval that hosts the Botany Bay Gift.
The Gift is one of the oldest events in Australian professional athletics, reached its prime in the late 1990s with the prize pool reaching upwards of $100,000, and was resurrected in 2016.
Big Foot siblings Rebecca and Alastair George gave the map and update and Wayne Eliot (ex-WA Nomad NOL) set the courses.
Garingal took out 20 age classes, and it was great to see lots of rookies taking their first steps at State League level.
Prizes of shortbread were quickly scoffed by the winners! Thanks Uringa.
Results and Splits links are on the State League web page.
Our next scheduled State League events are in Newcastle for the QB III carnival over the June long weekend.
