A month ago the 20-year-old sought to have his flights and accommodation paid for and was disappointed when carnivals organisers didn't come to the party.

"I haven't heard from them since but I've decided to come down anyway," he said.

Wurm was offered the standard $100 that is available to most interstate competitors running at Burnie.

Wurm will run at the Bay Sheffield carnival in Adelaide on December 27-28 before making it to Burnie on New Year's Eve.

The blond-haired sprinter has been handicapped to run off five metres in heat four of the gift.

He won the 2010 Burnie Gift off 8.75m and said he wasn't expecting such a tough rehandicap.

"I thought I would be running off six metres," he said.

"There looks to be plenty of depth in the gift field and it is going to be hard to win."

Backmarker is this year's Stawell Gift winner Tom Burbridge, who will run off 3.25m in the opening heat.

Wurm has nominated ACT runner John Jakeman as possibly the man to beat.

Jakeman made this year's Burnie Gift final and is a former placegetter at West Park.

Wurm could be in for a busy program at Burnie, as he has been handicapped off 17m in his pet 400m event and is also looking forward to being part of the 4x100m interstate relay.

National 100m champion Melissa Breen will attempt to become the first woman to win the $5000 Burnie Gift from scratch.

Breen is a member of coach Matt Beckenham's group, which is running at the Tasmanian carnivals for the first time.

After winning her national crown, Breen represented Australia in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The women's gift has attracted a top field including 2009 winner Alicia Wrench-Doody, of South Australia, and 2004 winner Madelin House.

House won the Burnie Gift six years ago under her maiden name, Madelin Poke.

BURNIE MEN'S GIFT (120m)

First three from each heat, plus next three fastest go to six semi-finals. Winners from each semi-final go through to the final.

HEAT 1: Tom Burbridge 3.25m, Max Waldron 7m, Gareth Jubb 7.5m, Jarrod Gilroy 8.25m, Nick McKenna 9m, Brendan Smart 11m.

HEAT 2: Adrian Mott 3.75m, Doug Greenough 6.5m, Charlie Leek 7.5m, Jordan Englund 8.25m, Daniel Reeves 9m, Alec Eiszele 11.25m.

HEAT 3: John Jakeman 4.5m, James Boden 7m, David McCrae 7.5m, Andrew Robinson 8.25m, Mark Nichols 9.5m, Matt Beckenham 11.5m.

HEAT 4: Brendan Matthews 4.5m, Joseph Lowe 7m, Matthew Brooks 8m, Mitchel Englund 8.25m, Thomas Pfundt 9.25m, Darren Whittaker 12m.

HEAT 5: Ollie Wurm 5m, Jordan Sheppard 7.25m, Derek Collinge 7.75m, Edward Gates 8.25m, Callum James 9.75m.

HEAT 6: Robbie James 5.5m, Sam Leitch 7.25m, Cameron Cranfield 8m, Dan Lemoto 8.75m, David Gross 10.5m, Ben Englund 11.5m.

HEAT 7: Luke Storta 6m, Sunie Radravu 7.25m, Jordan Tronnolone 8m, Rowan Mason 8.5m, Andrew Wilcox 10.5m.

BURNIE WOMEN'S GIFT (120m)

First three from heats, first two from semi-finals.

HEAT 1: Melissa Breen scr, Bridgid Connolly 7m, Olivia Saltmarsh 7.75m, Nicola Rowe 8.50m, Angela Phillips 9m, Kate Walters 11.5m.

HEAT 2: Alicia Wrench-Doodie 2m, Madelin House 7.5m, Ella Scott 8m, Morgan Gaffney 9m, Kimberley Bush 9.25m, Abbey Walters 11.75m, Danielle Taylor 6m, Danielle Dwyer 7.75m, Abby Chapman 8.25m, Sandy Loring 9m, Laura Nicholson 9.25m, Lucy Buckley 12m.

HEAT 3: Andrea Di Paolo 6.75m, Cherlyse Yates 7.75m, Amy Pedder 8.5m, Carmen Oakley 9m, Kristy Rootes 11.75m, Fiona Heazlewood 12m.