Gun sprinter Jack Boulton will race at Warrnambool, Terang Gifts

Teenage sensation Jack Boulton is going to be taking on the Warrnambool Gift on Saturday December 4 and the Terang Gift on Sunday December 5.

It'll be his first time running at the meets.

Boulton, who lives at Wangaratta, said he planned to run in the 70m and 120m races at Terang and Warrnambool.

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The 17-year-old will also take on the 400m at Terang if he doesn't make the 120m final.

"It's always good to race new people, you never know what to expect in the professional events," he said.

Boulton's impressive resume is growing.

He qualified for the World Under 20 Championships 400m in Kenya this year but Australia didn't send a team because of safety reasons and the coronavirus pandemic.

That came after his stunning performance in the under 20 400m at the national championships held in Sydney earlier this year.

He recorded a personal best of 47.18 seconds and came third. The speedster ran more than a second faster than he did in his heat.

Boulton also won the under 18 400m event in 47.51 seconds to become national champion.

His other accomplishments include back-to-back Parkdale Gift wins in 2020/21, a 70m victory at the 2021 Wangaratta Gift and a 200m triumph at the 2020 Meadowglen Gift.

Boulton's most recent professional running hit-out was at Stawell in April and he ran in the heat and semi-final on debut.

He took lessons from that experience.

"I learnt not to rush myself within racing and just go through each gear," he said.

He explained nerves got to him and he went from the blocks to upright running rather than executing his drive phase in the opening metres of the race.

Boulton is competing in the Meadowglen Gift 70 and 200m this Sunday which is the first Victorian Athletic League meet of the season.

The sprinter said he enjoyed professional running because of the friendly atmosphere and the personal challenge it presented.

He has learned how to chase others and how to deal with others chasing him.

Boulton, who is part of a stable of runners coached by his dad Jason, manages a heavy training load.

Monday is trackwork, Tuesday is gym, Wednesday is trackwork, Thursdays is pilates and he has Friday off.

He might train Saturday and Sunday if there is no meet.

Boulton's goal for this year is to qualify for the 400m at the world junior championships again and compete at Cali in Colombia in August, 2022.

His long-term goal is to compete internationally at open level and he'd love to have another crack at the Stawell Gift.

Boulton's older sister Gabriella, another talented sprinter, is also coming to the south-west to compete.

The 20-year-old won the 2020 Wangaratta Women's Gift and 2020 Parkdale Women's Gift.

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