Friday, 19 April 2019:
Evergreen sprinter Joshua Ross insists age is just a number as he chases down Stawell Gift history at Central Park.
The 2003 and 2005 Gift champion is aiming to become the first man to win the fabled 120m handicap three times.
And were the 38-year-old to salute on Easter Monday and pocket the $40,000 first prize, he would become the oldest winner of an event first contested way back in 1878.
"I know a lot of people think that it's important that I'm 38 now; I get it all the time and it does frustrate me," Ross told AAP.
"That really has nothing to do with me; it's just their own limited thinking, small-minded thinking.
"They think you get to a certain level or a certain age in sport and you have to decline or move on to something else in in your life.
"But I've got unfinished business.
"I've got big goals to achieve and I'm still flying on the track and recovering faster than I did when I was 25."
After being run out in the heats in 2018, Ross was handed a 2m mark this year by the handicappers, with defending champ Jacob Despard the backmarker at 0.75m.
The early favourite with the bookies is Melbourne's Jason Bailey, who will start off 10m.
Bailey is at $2.75 ahead of Dhruv Rodrigues-Chico ($4.50) and Ross ($8).
Not that Ross is taking too much notice of what anyone else is doing.
"I've never really looked at who's going to be running in my heat or who's off what mark," said the 2004 and 2012 Olympic 4x100m relay finalist.
"I just focus on myself.
"To be honest I only know pretty much Jacob Despard and a couple of other guys; I don't really know anyone else.
"That's just the way it is.
"I just feel like a caged beast and I want to be set loose."
Despite electing to skip the national titles in Sydney earlier this month to focus on the Gift, Ross has not given up hope of forcing his way into the strong Australian 4x100m relay squad for October's world championships and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
"I'll just keep going," he said.
"As long as I'm still performing on the track there's no reason for me to stop really."
The opening round of the Gift is on Saturday with the semi-finals and final on Monday.
Multiple Stawell Gift winners
Bill Hayward (1966 and 1967), Barry Foley (1970 and 1972), Joshua Ross (2003 and 2005)
Favourites for 2019 Gift (TAB)
Jason Bailey (10m) $2.85, Dhruv Rodrigues-Chico (7m) $4.50, Joshua Ross (2m) $8, Jara Konteh (5.5m) $9, Leonard King (6.75m) $9, Jayden Gilfillan (8m) $9
