Campese lines up for Gift

For the first time, this year's Gift will be held over two days from November 23-24. And Lamont said Queanbeyan City Council was determined to return the event to the forefront of the city's sporting calendar.

"My whole spin with the Gift this year is that it needs to be made a more Queanbeyan community friendly event," she said.

"Rather than just focusing on attracting runners from all over the country and it being their event, we want to put some things into place to make it Queanbeyan's event.

"It's all about re-energising it and getting it back to being the premier sporting event that it should be."

Last year's Gift was awarded the Australian Professional Carnival of the year, the second time the event has taken out the award.

With a total of $16,000 up for grabs in both the men's and women's gifts, Queanbeyan will this year maintain its status as Australia's richest women's gift race and third richest men's race.

For the first time, this year's event is also being promoted by four Gift Ambassadors: triple gold medallist paralympian Evan O'Hanlon, Scott Reardon and Olympians Lauren Boden and Melissa Breen.

"The ambassadors have been really good," Ms Lamont said.

"It always helps when you've got Olympic athletes helping to promote your event, it really just helps to give it a bit more status.

"This is really the first time ever we've had an active social media campaign as well and it's all about creating a bit of buzz."

The Terry Campese Foundation has also come on board this year for the first time with the Canberra Raiders captain himself set to be an interested spectator on the day.

As has become tradition, this year's Gift will be held in conjunction with Queanbeyan City Council's Family Fun Day while there will be a raft of other entertainment over the two-days.

A mascot's race, and races to find Queanbeyan's fastest sportsman and sportswoman will also be held as part of the Gift carnival.