The Change Our Game Women's Gift is going to be hotly contested after a series of big names put down some scorching times in the Saturday heats.
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Around 80 women competed in the heats, with the winners from the 11 races and a the next fastest 31 runners progressing to Easter Monday's semi-finals.
South Australian sprinter Hayley Orman set the fastest time of the heats with a 13.82 off a 9.75 metre handicap in the third heat of the day.
In the sixth heat of the day Queenslander Dianne Waight won with a time of 13.91 off a mark of 5.75 metres.
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In the same heat Kayla Montagner was narrowly second with her time of 13.92 off a 7 metre mark.
Another three women snuck underneath the 14 second barrier including 2019 runner-up Sophia Fighera who set a time of 13.96.
Hayley Openshaw from Warradale set a time of 13.98 while Ellie Keratianos from Sunbury set a 13.96 to put her name down as one to watch.
There was also a couple of Grampians residents who competed against the best with Caitlyn Nicholson from Moyston running a 16.03 and Jessica Burns from Ararat running a 15.00.
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Disappointingly, 2019 Change Our Game Women's Gift winner Alexia Loizou was a late scratching along with race backmarker Torrie Lewis.
In 2019 Loizou won the race with a time of 13.58 and while no women were at that pace yet, they'll be building towards their best pace on Monday.
On Easter Monday the semi-finals will take place, with a field of 42 women set to be narrowed down to eight finalists as they chase the $40,000 prize.
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