Sprint star Josh Ross set to return to SA to defend Bay Sheffield title

FOR sprint star Josh Ross, last year's Bay Sheffield was all about creating history - now the national champion is eyeing redemption.

FOR sprint star Josh Ross, last year's Bay Sheffield was all about creating history.

Now the seven-time national champion is eyeing redemption at SA's most prestigious footrace next month.

Ross, 32, is returning to Adelaide to defend his Bay Sheffield title - 12 months after becoming the first runner to win from scratch in the event's 126-year history.

It will be his first race since a horror World Athletics Championships in Moscow in August, when he played a part in Australia dropping the baton in a 4x100m relay heat and recorded one of the slowest 200m times of his career.

Recapturing top form is his No. 1 priority at Colley Reserve, where he will again start off scratch.

"My Australian season was outstanding and I had one of the best I've ever had, but Moscow was probably the most disappointing international campaign I've ever had," Ross says.

"I couldn't wait to leave the place.

"But you can't think about it too much, you have to think about moving forward.

"I'm really looking forward to defending my title at the Bay.

"It is definitely (a chance for redemption)."

Ross, who is also one of just two men two win the Stawell Gift off scratch, regards last year's triumph at Glenelg as one of the highlights of his career.

He had been competing at the event since 2004 and made a pledge to his family three weeks before the race that he was going to create history.

"To win last year was something special," says Ross, who crossed the line in 12.48sec.

"If I could win it off scratch again it'd be unbelievable.

"And there's no reason why I can't do it."

If Ross can win again he will become just the fifth person to win back-to-back titles in the event's history.

He will train in Melbourne over the next month before flying into Adelaide on Boxing Day.

Beyond that Ross will prepare for next year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and still hopes to break Patrick Johnson's national 100m record (9.93sec).

SA Athletic League president Brendan Golden says Ross's return to the Bay is a massive boon for the event.

Ross was in Adelaide last week to visit several schools.

Other early Bay Sheffield contenders include South Australians Tjimarri Sanderson-Milera and Alex Bubner, and AFL boundary umpire Adam Coote.