Sport
6 January, 2026
Haigh triumphant in 800 m
Running stalwart David Haigh started his 2026 with a bang, winning the 800 m open final in style.
Starting from a mark of 106 m, Haigh made quick work of the front markers and led from there, holding off a stampeding chasing pack led by Tez Kavanagh-Dando and Michael Ryde to take the victory with a final time of 1:54.850.
Haigh said it’s a special victory for himself and his well-respected training squad, Team Ireland, with coach Todd Ireland winning the Maryborough Gift back in 2000.
“We have been coming here for well over 30 years, so it’s a really important place for us. Whether it’s New Year’s or not, this is the mecca for us,” he said.
“It’s like a football club, the team, and that’s what we do it for, it’s the camaraderie, we aren’t going to make a living doing this, so you must like it.”
As one of the most respected and long-tenured athletes competing on the Victorian Athletic League circuit, Haigh is fresh off one of the best seasons in his storied career.
During a very successful 2024/25 campaign, Haigh scored wins at the Bay Sheffield, and in Frankston, Ballarat, Castlemaine and Geelong before finishing second in the 550 m open and third in the 800 m open at the Stawell Gift to bookend the season.
With the 800 m heats opening the Highland Gathering, Haigh was among the first racers on track, finishing second behind Joshua Sait to enter the final.
Despite only having 90 minutes to recover, Haigh managed to run nearly four seconds quicker than his heat time to win the final by over a second.
“My thoughts were very simple, I was the third front marker, so my thought was to get to the front and just simply hang on,” he said.
“I was somewhat comfortable with 100 metres to go and we were heading into the wind, but it hits the wind for everyone and everyone is hurting.”
With a successful result at the Highland Gathering, Haigh now turns his attention to preparing for his 38th Stawell Gift on the Easter long weekend.