Maribyrnong Gift Draws Crowd

Star Weekly 25/01/2021

Goya Dmytryshchak

More than 400 people to date have entered the Maribyrnong Gift, which is the only local event of its kind after COVID-19 shut down the Keilor and St Albans gifts.

The event is being held at Braybrook’s Pennell Reserve on January 31.

Victorian Athletic League organiser Terry O’Donnell said the Maribyrnong Gift was one of a circuit of 14 gifts for the year, culminating in the Stawell Gift.

“It’s been running now at this venue for six years,“ he said.

“It was at a previous venue (Footscray Park), originally.

“It’s a handicapped event … it gives everybody a chance, from the poor runner to the good runner, to compete.“

O’Donnell said anyone from age 11 to veterans could enter.

“There’s people competing in their seventies,“ he said.

“Males and females can compete against each other, as well as have their own races.

“The beauty of it is, the young and the old can compete against each other, and the good runner against the average runner and be competitive.“

O’Donnell said the Maribyrnong Gift had managed to continue due to securing funding from Maribyrnong council.

Proceeds will go to organising body, St Andrews-Footscray Cricket Club.