If there were two words to sum up her efforts across the last campaign, they would surely have to be ‘painstakingly close’.
Having recorded seven podium places across an outstandingly consistent season, the Kelfit athlete was cruelly denied a win, finishing as runner-up on six occasions and once third in a remarkably strong, and equally as unlucky, crusade.
It’s a result sheet that would break the spirit of many, but the astoundingly resilient middle-distance athlete takes it all in her quick and powerful stride.
“I think I've said this before, but you just want (the win) more and more every week when you get that little bit closer, it just feels a bit more real,” she said.
“Unfortunately, my time just sort of run out, I guess, by the end of the season.
“I'm really keen for this year. I think it's definitely brewing and it has been for a long time, so I think the fact that it’s in reach is what's exciting and what keeps me coming back every week.”
While Zotti has claimed sashes in the past, her last came at the Beachside Gift in early February last year, where she took out the 400m women’s final.
But her string of second places led Kelfit coach Kelvin Lubeck to tip her as the most likely of his squad to have a breakout campaign ahead of this season, and again as the most likely of his athletes to claim a win at this weekend’s Seymour Gift following a third and second place finish already this season in Lancefield and Warrnambool, respectively.
While Zotti quipped there was ‘“no pressure” after being told of Lubeck’s lofty predictions, there is plenty of weight behind them, with the 2023-24 VAL Trainer of the Year having coached Zotti for half her life.
Under his guidance, Zotti has watched the squad grow into the region’s pre-eminent athletics group and she heaped praise on the revered mentor for creating a fun, tight-knit stable that was envied across the VAL.
“We're extremely, extremely lucky,” she said of having Lubeck as coach.
“I’ve had ‘Kel’ as my coach, probably since I was 14, or even younger, actually, I've had him since I was 12, so he's been coaching me for 12 years.
“You don't really meet many squads like ours who just do it because they all love it so much, and I think that's what makes our group so good to be around.
“Each weekend is really fun because we're here because we want to be here, not because we’ve paid to be here or we're paying someone to be here.
“It’s all off his own back and he'll do anything for us to succeed, so that's pretty much the goal, just to make him proud every weekend.”
This weekend looms as a big opportunity for the squad to do just that in front of a home crowd as members take to the start line for the 2025 Seymour Club Gift.
The gift’s return to the calendar last year was a roaring success, exceeding the expectations of everyone involved, and has the entire stable raring to go once again this year.
“It was probably more than I ever expected,” Zotti said of last year’s Seymour Gift.
“It was a standout gift by far and I think the home crowd just brought the energy in, and that's just a reflection of the community that we have in Seymour.
“But yeah, I can't wait.
“I think this year is talked up to be even better, so I can't even imagine what (the SRC committee) have in store, but I'm very, very excited.”
While a win over her preferred 400m distance — which she favours “because it’s over quicker” — is the obvious goal this season, and hopefully materialises this weekend in Seymour, Zotti has her eyes set firmly on the season finale.
A fifth-place finish in the 800m final and an eighth in the 400m at Stawell earlier this year has Zotti again targeting competing on the Easter weekend next year, while her main goal is much more simple, whether the win comes or she finishes second another six times — to be proud.
“(The goal is to) just make it through to Stawell. I think it's such a long season and so many athletes, unfortunately, get injured,” she said.
“So, just trying to stay consistent, make it through to Stawell and just be proud of my efforts, no matter what the result is.”
