Ross was knocked out in the semi-final off a negative start marker.

“I would have loved him in the final but it was always going to be a big ask,” Burbidge said.

“He won last weekend at a smaller meet than this one so it just made his chances a lot harder coming into here.

“But he ran really well, he’s just a supreme athlete so it was a pleasure to have him.”

Burbidge, who reinvented the Albury-Wodonga Gift last year, admitted being “physically exhausted” after a big few days of setting up the meet.

“It’s been a big couple of days,” he said.

“I’m glad today hasn’t been quite as hot as the past couple of days.

The Albury-raised sprinter said the quality of athletes competing and the Little Athletics children had been the cherry on top of the second annual event.

“Today’s action has been great with a stellar line-up of athletes,” he said.

“We had great fun this morning with our Olympians and Little Athletics kids.”

A crowd of about 500 people watched the action at the Albury Sportsground yesterday evening.