BURNIE GIFT TO MARK 130TH ANNIVERSARY WITH SPECIAL DISPLAY AND REUNION EVENT

The 2017 running of the Burnie Gift will mark the 130th anniversary of the famous and iconic footrace.

Such is the significance of the milestone that it is recognised as one of the longest continuous annual sporting events in world sport.

For 130 years it has been Tasmania's most prestigious sporting event.

With good reason it has been labelled: ‘The best one-day sporting event in the world!'

The first Burnie Gift was first run and won on New Year's Day, 1882.

To understand the significance of that date, that first Burnie Gift was held 14 years before the First Modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.

It has been run and won annually on New Year's Day almost continually since, with the exception of 1942 and 1943, at the height of the Second World War.

Many famous athletes have won the prestigious footrace, run over the Sheffield distance of 130 yards and, from 1973, 120 metres.

To win the Burnie Gift is one of the most prestigious achievements that can be attained by any athlete.

In recognition of the long history and the milestone, The Burnie Athletic Club, in conjunction with the Burnie Municipal Council, will be holding a special Memorabilia Display at the Burnie Arts and Function Centre from October 29th to December 11th this year.

It will feature a wealth of history by way of photographs, sashes from many of the previous winners, their stories and athletic pieces such as running gear, generational spikes and starting blocks from different eras.

On Friday December 2nd, 2016, a launch cocktail party will be held involving sponsors and reunion of former Gift winners which will be held amongst the display at the Burnie Arts and Function Centre. This will start at 6pm.

There will also a be a host of personalities attending including long-time event ‘callers’ Paddy Martin, Tiger Dowling and Brian Payne.

Multi World Champion axeman David Foster will also be at this event.

Former Burnie Gift Winners are invited to this event and invited to contact the Burnie Athletic Club in relation to making their Gift winning sashes available for the display at the reunion event.

Long-time runner and stalwart John McGuire is helping to co-ordinate the display.

If you have any information or display items that may assist this event, please contact John McGuire on 03 6431 5021.

• Gerard Thompson winning the 1975 Burnie Gift