She was the hot tip coming into Saturday’s Wangaratta Sports Carnival and she showed why – Shauna Herbst is the 2026 Into Our Hands Women’s Wangaratta Gift winner.

The Beechworth-based runner was first cross the line in Saturday evening’s gift finals down at the Wangaratta Showgrounds, pocketing the prize purse after an outstanding day of racing.

Having finished on the podium at the recent Bay Sheffield and Maryborough Gifts, Herbst was a top pick to travel deep into the stages, alongside fellow touted chances local Andrea Hearne and Melbourne-based Clea Clifford.

The heats for the women’s gift kicked off from 5.48pm – Herbst stormed through her heat in 13.463 off 6.25m, while Hearne (14.041, 9.25m) and Clifford (13.759, 10.25m) also advanced to the semis with ease.

The heat of the day was sapping, as the athletes tried to maintain a balance between keeping warm for the run and overheating.

The semi finals saw Herbst qualify fastest, beating out Clifford by just over a tenth of a second in their race, while Hearne did not make the final.

Herbst said heading into the final with the fastest time brought with it a sense of pressure, but her coach Jason Boulton kept her focussed.

“My coach doesn’t speak much with me throughout the events, that’s just his coaching style, but the only thing he said to me was ‘stop thinking, Shauna – just run’ so that was my word of wisdom for the day,” she said.

“The other thing he told me which was a lovely piece of advice, having the confidence of being the fastest qualifier.

“He said ‘just have fun, enjoy this warm-up, you’re running fast, enjoy running fast’ and that’s what I did.

“Props to the Wangaratta Sports Club, they opened up one of the changeroom areas with air conditioning, and a lot of us athletes were hanging in there trying to avoid the heat.

“Given the heat and the racing, and maybe to an extent of maybe having a bit of internal pressure, knowing I was the favourite, meant I probably didn’t set up that race as good as the others.”

As the starter’s pistol fired and the runners shot out from their marks, Herbst knew she was in for a challenge.

“I actually ran better in the heats and semis, and made it hard work for myself in the finals,” she said.

“I wasn’t as relaxed and I was probably a bit tired.

“I had a decent start and towards the midsection I probably didn’t quite have the turnover I had in the heats.

“Clea Clifford on the inside, who got a very close second, she was just turning it over and going for it.

“She made me work for it, and those last 20 metres, I was just thinking I had to stay relaxed and lunge for that line, which is what I did.”

For her to claim her first ever gift title at the local meet meant the world to Herbst and her supporters.

“I started racing pros last year and I made every gift final I entered, six or seven gift finals, but I didn’t place last year and this year I’ve been able to place, many seconds and thirds,” she said.

“Just to finally win any race was really exciting, and for it to be the Wangaratta Gift, with friends and training partners and my coach and colleagues from work, that was the cherry on top.

“I also know this gift means a lot to a lot of those people, so it was nice to be able to share the win with them.

“[Wangaratta Sports Club president] Anna Pasquali, [WSC secretary ]Paul [Hughes] and those behind the scenes, coordinating the event – I know how much of a legacy this event has, especially for those who have been in this community for decades.

“I really appreciate they’re continuing to put in the work to chase sponsors, to coordinate to VAL to make it happen – it means a lot to the broader sports community that shows up here, and the people of Wangaratta seeing this event carry on.”

Herbst said she was hoping to run at Stawell over the Easter weekend, but had her sights set on performing at the state championships and qualifying for nationals.