Grassmere sprinter Layla Watson knew patience was required to get back to her best after hamstring issues sidelined her for a number of meetings.
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The 18-year-old marked her first win of the 2023/24 Victoria Athletic League season in the Beachside Gift's 100-metre women's gift final on Saturday, February 3.
The DPS stable sprinter ran a 11.56-second final off a six-metre handicap at the Mentone-based event.
It was her fourth women's gift final appearance this summer, though she missed several meets, including Geelong, Warrnambool and Terang, through injury.
Watson, who credited her performances to her squad and coaches Wayne Perry and Rob Duynhoven, said her only goal heading into the Beachside Gift had been to make both the 70m and 120m gift finals.
A win in the latter was the cherry on top while she ran fourth in the 70m final.
"I sort of had a little hammy injury on-and-off, nothing too serious, but (it) put me out of training for a little bit," Watson told The Standard.
"It was slowly getting back into racing and feeling fit again and obviously it paid off (at Beachside)."
Watson, who will head to the US in August to attend Southern Illinois University, was diligent with her return in the hope of being competitive in the back-end of the season.
"I knew that trying to push it or come back before I was ready was going to do more damage than good," she said.
"I was saying to my coach, I'd rather get everything right now and only be out early in the season than still have this trouble later on in the season.
"It's my last season here before I head to America so I want to finish it off with a positive ending to everything.
"I'm starting to see a little bit of progress, it's nice to be able to trust my training and get back to where I want to be."
Finding consistency in her racing is the focus for Watson now as the season builds towards next month's famous Stawell Gift meeting, where she ran fifth in the women's final last year.
Watson's next meeting is a big two-day Ballarat Gift meeting on February 10-11, where she'll balance 70m, 120m and 400m duties.
"My main thing last season, was I was very consistent with my racing and my training," she said.
"Getting back into consistency would be the main thing (for me).
"The aim is always to make the final and be happy with my races or how I'm racing.
"I just want to have fun - every competition now is having fun and making the most of it while I'm still here (in Australia)."
Meg Saultry
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
