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The Boss is back in attempt to create history

The revival of one of Stawell’s favourite sons is back on track, with the Stawell Athletic Club today announcing that two-time Australia Post Stawell Gift winner Joshua Ross is confirmed for the 2009 Easter weekend event.

The 2003 and 2005 Australia Post Stawell Gift winner will attempt to become the first man in history to win Australia’s most famous footrace three times. 

Ross, who won his fifth 100m national title at the Australian Athletics Championships in Brisbane will be joined by fellow national sprint champions Aaron Rouge-Serret (200m) and Sean Wroe (400m).

In a stellar list of Australia’s best athletics talent, the 100m, 200m and 400m champions of Australia will be joined by National hurdles champions Justin Merlino (110m hurdles) and Tristan Thomas (400m hurdles) who will both make their debut at Central Park.

The first three place getters from last weekend’s national 100m title will attempt to take home the $40,000 first prize, with Queenslander Matt Davies also set to line up.

Ross has not run at Stawell since 2006 and his recent results have suffered following a long battle with motivation. However he revived his career taking out the national title in 10.34sec ahead of training partner Rouge-Serret (10.36) and Davies (10.45).

All three, together with Australia’s fastest man this season Anthony Alozie (10.29), have been selected in the relay team for this year’s world championships and will take the next step in their preparation for Berlin at Stawell (injury permitting in Alozie’s case who was forced out of the national championships final).

Ross wrote his name into athletics immortality with a stunning win at the 2005 Australia Post Stawell Gift when he became only the second man to win from scratch and just the third to win the coveted race on two occasions following his first victory in 2003.

Looking to further improve his credentials at Central Park, Ross is looking forward to his long awaited return.

“I have really missed Stawell the last few years - it’s like my second home,” Ross said.

“I am looking forward to walking through those gates again, smelling the grass and once I line up I have as good a chance as anyone else to win.  I proved that in 2005 and there is no reason I can’t do it again.”

Ross and Rouge-Serret’s coach, Adam Larcom is confident both athletes will be competitive come Easter but is wary of the difficulty their marks will create.

“Josh is in great shape and he should be very competitive given where he is at right now.  In saying that, he will be given an extremely tough ask with his mark so I won’t speculate as to whether he will win,” said Larcom.

“Aaron is also in the form of his career this year producing two 200m personal bests and equaling his 100m (personal best) with an increased headwind, so he should be really competitive over the 120m event.”

Rouge-Serret has been on the rise since taking out the Backmarkers event at the Australia Post Stawell Gift last year and has been Australia’s form sprinter - taking out the Sydney Track Classic, Victorian championships, and the 200m national title.

Like many coaches, Larcom is aware of the positives running at Stawell can bring to his athletes.

“Stawell is a great event.  The prestige and history behind the event as well as the way in which pro runners go about their business is very important to me,” Larcom explains.

“It is a great environment for their preparation (for the Berlin World Championships) and they absolutely love running at Stawell.”

Wroe has had a strangle hold over better known competitors, Commonwealth Games gold medallist John Steffensen and 2008 national champion Joel Milburn over 400m in 2009.

Milburn, who ran a personal best to make the semi-final at the 2008 Olympic Games, finished fourth at the national championship over the weekend but will be looking to revive that blistering form from Beijing when he returns to Stawell for the second year running.  Last year he finished second in the Jack Donaldson 200m, impressing with his aggressive running.

Thomas won the Australian Athlete of the Season award for his stunning domestic season that has included 11 personal bests over 100m, 200, 400, 400m hurdles and 800m. He took out the 400m hurdles in both Sydney and Melbourne and has set an ambitious program for Stawell, entering four events.

The 2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift carnival kicks off with a punter’s dream at the Calcutta and Call of the Cards on Friday night and is followed by three days of thrilling racing, stunning ladies day fashion and family entertainment, culminating in the 128^th running of the Australia Post Stawell Gift.

Elite Male Entrants – 2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift

Anthony Alozie - Australia Post Stawell Gift
Brendan Cole - Australia Post Stawell Gift, Redvys Cooper Memorial Jack Donaldson 200m, 200m, ASICS 400m
Matt Davies - Australia Post Stawell Gift, Redvys Cooper Memorial Jack Donaldson 200m
Justin Merlino - Gift Australia Post Stawell Gift, Redvys Cooper Memorial Jack Donaldson 200m
Joel Milburn - Australia Post Stawell Gift, Redvys Cooper Memorial Jack Donaldson 200m
Josh Ross - Australia Post Stawell Gift
Aaron Rouge-Serret - Gift Hotel Arthur Postle 70m, Australia Post Stawell Gift, Redvys Cooper Memorial Jack Donaldson 200m
Tristan Thomas - Australia Post Stawell Gift, Redvys Cooper Memorial Jack Donaldson 200m, ASICS 400m, Stawell Times News WH Earle Handicap - 550m
Sean Wroe - Australia Post Stawell Gift,  Redvys Cooper Memorial Jack Donaldson 200m, ASICS 400m

For more information on the 2009 Australia Post Stawell Gift please visit www.stawellgift.com