20 years ago - 1992 Burnie Gift was the fastest ever.

The 1992 Burnie Gift was conducted on Wednesday 1st January.

There were 100 entries in 15 heats. 10 heats of 7 and 5 heats of 6.
Breakdown per state:
TAS: 51
VIC: 36
WA: 6
NSW: 4
QLD: 2
NT 1

The field included national 100m champion Shane Naylor (on Scratch); Stawell & Bay Sheffield winner Steve Brimacombe; Seoul Olympian Robert Ballard; 1980 Stawell Gift winner and 1986 Commonwealth Games 200m finalist John Dinan; 1989 Bay Sheffield winner Derek Merdith; 1989 National 200m bronze medallist Andrew Douglas; 1985 Stawell Gift winner Paul Young; and past Burnie Gift winners - Lee Berwick (1983); Wayne Johncock (1985); Frank Corsello (1987); Anthony Grima (1988); and Jon Riggs (1989).

There were 51 athletes handicapped on 6.0m or less.
VIC - 29; TAS - 11; WA - 6; NSW - 3; QLD - 1; NT - 1.

Strong tail wind and fast track contributed to super quick times.

The Advocate $15,000 Burnie Gift
First: $9620
Second: $2,515
Third: $1,185
Fourth: $790
Fifth; $445
Sixth: $285
Heat winners $10

Tasmanian unless state is noted.

Heat 1
1 S Kingston (5.75)
2 A Saunders VIC (3.75)
Time: 12.57

Heat 2
1 C Brown WA (3.25)
2 D Moore (7.00)
Time: 12.38

Heat 3
1 L Berwick (7.25)
2 J Streit (3.75)
Time: 12.16

Heat 4
1 T Potter (8.50)
2 S Hearn WA (5.75)
Time: 11.78

Heat 5
1 D Nettleton VIC (9.75)
2 S Tilburn VIC (5.75)
Time: 12.40

Heat 6
1 J Riggs (5.00)
2 D Krushka (7.75)
Time: 12.00

Heat 7
1 S Bresnehan (5.75)
2 M Dinan VIC 5.75)
Time: 12.03

Heat 8
1 E Vandenberg (5.50)
2 N Grigg VIC (6.00)
Time: 12.00

Heat 9
1 R Witnish NSW (4.25)
2 M Saltmarsh (10.00)
Time: 12.10

Heat 10
1 L Smith (8.50)
2 T Kenshole VIC (4.50)
Time: 12.10

Heat 11
1 A Douglas VIC (2.25)
2 W Denny (8.00)
Time: 12.33

Heat 12
1 A Sutcliffe (8.50)
2 G Kendall VIC (5.25)
Time: 12.40

Heat 13
1 W Johncock (6.50)
2 A Coombes VIC (5.75)
3 P Young VIC (5.00)
Time: 12.41

Heat 14
1 S Brimacombe VIC (1.00)
2 S Beswick (5.50)
Time: 12.04

Heat 15
1 T Ireland VIC (4.00)
2 S Naylor VIC (0.00)
Time: 12.01

First two in each heat advance to the semis. Semi final winners only to the final.

SF1
Red - C Brown 3.25
White - G Kendall (5.25)
Blue - S Beswick (5.50)
Yellow - E Vandenberg (5.50)
Green - M Saltmarsh (10.00)
1 E Vandenberg
2 M Saltrmarsh
Time: 12.00

SF2
Red - J Streit (3.25)
White - S Tilburn (5.00)
Blue - A Coombs (5.75)
Yellow - W Denny (8.00)
Green - T Potter (8.50)
1 T Potter
2 J Streit
Time: 11.70

SF3
REd - A Douglas (2.25)
White - J Riggs (5.00)
Blue - S Hearn (5.75)
Yellow - L Berwick (7.25)
Green - A Sutcliffe (8.50)
1 S Hearn (After Hearn broke and went back 1.0m)
2 L Berwick
Time: 12.05

SF4
REd - S Naylor (0.00)
White - R Witnish (4.25)
Blue - M Dinan (5.25)
Yellow - N Grigg (6.00)
Green - W Johncock (6.50)
1 S Naylor
2 N Grigg
Time: 12.00

SF5
REd - S Brimacombe (1.00)
White - A Kenshole (4.50)
Blue - S Kingston (5.25)
Yellow - D Moore (7.00)
Green - D Nettleton (9.75)
1 S Brimacombe
2 A Kenshole
Time: 12.03

SF6
REd - A Saunders (3.75)
White - T ireland (4.00)
Blue - S Bresnehan (5.75)
Yellow - D Krushka (7.75)
Green - Smith (8.50)
1 T Ireland
2 S Bresnehan
Time: 11.80

1991 Burnie Gift FINAL
1 Todd Ireland VIC (4.00) Coach: G Barker
2 Steve Brimacombe VIC (1.00) Coach: J Bradley
3 Tim Potter TAS (8.50) Coach: J McGuire
4 Shane Hearn WA (5.75) Coach: M Barber
5 Ean Vandenberg TAS (5.50) Coach: ??
6 Shane Naylor VIC (0.00) Coach: M Lewandowski
Time: 11.74

This was an unforgettabel race. Local Burnie runner Tim Potter smashed 12secs in the heat (11.78) and looked to be unbeatable with no other athlete breaking 12secs.

In the semi finals, Potter went faster again with 11.70, however Todd Ireland responded with a brilliant run in the last semi to win in 11.80.

The final was a cracker. Potter got away well, but Ireland was quickly past Vandenberg and Hearn with only Potter in his sights. Naylor got to Brimacombe but Brimma then moved away and was quickly into 3rd place with about 20m to go. Ireland & Brimacombe stormed up to Potter and with 10m to go Ireland went clear by half a metre in a brilliant 11.74 with Brimacombe breaking 12s off 1.0m. Potter was inches behind Brimma followed by Hearn & Vandenberg with Naylor back in 6th place. Taking into account the electronic timing, it is still the fastest Burnie Gift final ever.

It was a privelage to have witnessed this final and also the 1991 Burnie Gift where Capobianco won from scratch, beating the greatest field ever assembled.
1987 where Frank Corsello won the centenary Burnie Gift in 11.7 (about 130 entries) was special as was Lee Berwick (1983) in winning around 11.7 was a metre behind at the half way mark but ended up winning by about 3 metres. Certainly the best sprinter to watch was Steve Brimacombe as his graceful efficient style was something special.