Tabitha West wins second Devonport Gift

http://www.examiner.com.au/news/local/sport/general/west-trips-but-pulls-off-the-victory/2036272.aspx

West trips but pulls off the victory
WOMEN'S GIFT BY PHIL EDWARDS
The Examiner
30 Dec, 2010

VICTORIAN Tabitha West won her second Devonport Women's Gift final last night with an impressive run from the backmark to defeat South Australian Bridgid Connolly and Launceston teenager Abbey De La Motte.

The Albury-Wodonga sprinter, trained by Marcus Arnold, stumbled in the final straight but regained her composure to go on to win in a time of 53.78.

"I'm ecstatic - off a mark of 12 metres I'm really happy to have won," she said.

West won the Devonport Gift in 2008 the same year she won the Latrobe Gift.

She said her victory second time around was sweeter because of the harder mark.

"My last win was off 23 metres so it's really great to come back and win off such a tight mark," West said.

West said she had not run a 400-metre race in nearly a year but her 100m and 200m form had been really good.

De La Motte backed up from her Latrobe 400m win on Boxing Day with another outstanding run showing the promising future the 16-year-old has.

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/news/local/sport/athletics/west-gets-gift-on-her-return/2036156.aspx

West gets Gift on her return
BY JONATHAN MALLINSON
The Advocate
30 Dec, 2010

VICTORIAN runner Tabitha West has capped off a remarkable return to 400m running by taking out the Devonport Gift last night.

West hasn't run a 400m race for over a year, and at a much easier mark, but last night showed she still has it proving too strong in a class field.

Starting off just 12m West had plenty of ground up on the next runner, Bridget Connolly, who started off 21m.

Connolly had the best start making up ground on the field in the first 100m.

From there it looked as if Connolly was going to out run the field by the final bend, but West had other ideas.

West took the lead into the final straight, but had to fight off Connolly and Launceston's 16-year-old Abbey De La Motte, who fell over the line in exhaustion.

"I'm ecstatic to win off a mark of 12m, especially at Devonport," West said following her win.

The 24-year-old was a star at last year's carnival series, but admitted that her 400m form hadn't been all that great leading into the Basslink Christmas Carnivals series.

"I haven't run a 400m in nearly a year, but my 100m and 200m form has been pretty good," West said.

"The last time I won a 400m was off 22m, so this has been great," she said.

The win has put West in good stead to step-up to amateurs in Victoria and let her run in the national circuit.