Sport
7 January, 2025
Former local Luke Matthews claims victory in the Highland Gathering’s 1600 metre Masters
Princes Park was once Luke Matthews’ domain as a Maryborough Magpie.
On New Year’s Day, it belonged to him again as he took the final event of the Maryborough Gift for 2025, triumphing in the Sutton Tools 1600 metre Masters final.
Now residing in Bendigo, Matthews, who ran a 4.23.99 off 280 metres to win from Brett Rollinson and Justin Murphy, said it was surreal to finally grab a win in a place he knows well.
“Long story, I grew up in Maryborough, so every year, I’d be down here, and I used to play footy, was a pretty decent runner, just didn’t run. I dreamed a lot during my youth at one point to run the Maryborough Gift. I got too old, finished playing footy, started running, and here we are,” he said.
“I moved to Bendigo about 16 years ago, but kinder through to high school, and to about 27, I lived in Maryborough, played for Mary-borough and Carisbrook.
“It’s a shame the Maryborough footy club isn’t here today, but I hope next season they bounce back and rekindle the flame again.
“I had a lot of people I knew from back in the day, it was good to see everyone running around and enjoy the Highland Games again.”
Ironically, Matthews’ plan to run the 1600 m was forced through a hamstring injury, saying he plans to run shorter distances when he gets it right.
“It’s a bit surreal, I’m not a distance runner and I might have stayed out past my bed time the previous night, so I didn’t have the ideal preparation. But this is my first win, so this is exciting,” he said.
“I will have to get the hammy right, which is why I had the longer run, but I want to get back into the short, faster stuff and hopefully get another win on the board.”
While it wasn’t the silverware he once craved playing for the Magpies, Matthews was undoubtedly moved by winning on what was once home soil.
“It’s good to have my first win in front of the historic grandstand and on such a great footy oval. It’s not the silverware I once wanted here, but I’ll take it,” he said.