SA soccer’s fastest man and woman revealed in IGA Dash for Cash

Who are the fastest NPL and WNPL players? Finalists ran off for a share of $25,000 at half-time of Adelaide United’s clash against Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium on Good Friday in the Inaugural IGA Dash for Cash.

Adelaide Comets’ under-18s star Taki Tsialofas, right, wins the men’s IGA Dash for Cash. Picture: SARAH REED

A 14-year-old girl with Aboriginal and Greek heritage and a teenager with 100 per cent Greek roots won the prestigious crowns of being the fastest national premier league soccer players in South Australia.

Emilia Murray claimed the inaugural IGA Dash for Cash WNPL 70m sprint at Hindmarsh Stadium during half-time of the Adelaide United and Melbourne Victory A-League blockbuster.

Playing for Football Federation SA’s national training centre team Murray said the $2500 she won in the inaugural IGA Dash for Cash is going towards her first car.

FFSA also won $10,000 from IGA for her sweet victory.

“I want a Mercedes Benz SUV,’’ Murray said.

That’s why I’m putting this away, but I have been practising my sprinting every second day for a few weeks and it’s paid off.

“It was just awesome winning that race in front of such a huge crowd.”

IGA General Manager Zac Mina with the IGA Dash for Cash winners Emilia Murray and Taki Tsialofas. Picture: SARAH REED

After Murray was timed at 9.85 secs for the 70m distance at the SA Athletics Stadium earlier this month on the running track, she appeared much faster on the slippery grass at Hidmarsh.

Murray, a Year 9 student at Henley High school, moved to Adelaide with her family five years ago from Wodonga in Victoria.

Adelaide Comets’ under-18s star Taki Tsialofas was ecstatic with the inaugural IGA Dash for Cash NPL king prize.

He was the quickest man in the box-to-box 70m race.

He also won $2500 spending money and a valuable $10,000 for Comets in a photo finish.

Tsialafos was ecstatic with the win saying sprinting in front of a huge audience was daunting.

“It was a very close race,’’ said the Year 12 Nazareth Catholic College Student.

“I just got my head down and just ran, I tried to focus as hard as I could there’s was so many people here it was impossible not to have nerves.

Emilia Murray, left, claims the Women’s IGA Dash for Cash at Hindmarsh. Picture: SARAH REED

“I warmed up at the IGA Family Fun Park (south of the stadium) and went for it.

“I have never done any sprint training, I have always been fast, I won sprints at school but I don’t know why I’m so fast.”

However, Tsialafos wasn’t about to celebrate the win knowing he needed to be fresh for an under-18 FFSA Cup clash against Adelaide Victory at Paralowie from 9.30am on Saturday.

Zac Mina, IGA’s general manager of SA and Northern Territory says the company has grand plans on continuing its support of community soccer after sponsoring Adelaide United since 2016.

Mina thought up the sprint concept after captaining Queensland’s underage state sides where he played against Socceroos legends Stan Lazaridis (WA) and Mark Bosnich (NSW).