Racing Victoria (RV) wishes to advise that the meeting scheduled for Monday 19 May at bet365 Park Stawell has been transferred to Horsham.Following the abandonment of the Stawell Cup meeting on 20 April due to an unsuitable racing surface it has been decided that the Club will conclude their season early to allow the track an additional period of recovery two upcoming sets of trials scheduled for Stawell will also be transferred with the 21 May trials to be held at Horsham while a venue for 19 June will be confirmed in due course industry consultation is underway regarding improved processes to avoid similar circumstances to the Stawell abandonment occurring in the future As a result of the transfer to Horsham there are several distance changes for the 19 May meeting Nominations for the Horsham meeting will close at 12pm on Wednesday with acceptances to be taken at 9:00am on Friday adaptation or communication is strictly prohibited Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time John Evans isn’t sure what the bigger achievement will be – telling his kids he won the Stawell Gift This year’s Stawell Gift had been all about Australia’s phenomenon Gout who had come to the western district town for Australia’s richest footrace – and brought about 7000 fans into Central Park John Evans celebrates his win.Credit: Getty Images the schoolboy was beaten by a school teacher was beaten in the semi-final by eventual Gift winner Evans a 28-year-old high school teacher from South Australia won the final in 11.94 seconds from his 9.75-metre handicap “I knew that Gout Gout was gonna be right there at the finish line I looked across and just saw him next to me if there’s one or two more steps he would have had me’,” Evans said I just run pros and I’m not going to be running against the likes of Gout Gout and Lachie Kennedy again and I get to tell my kids I did that now.” Gout Gout finished second in his semi-final of the Stawell Gift.Credit: Luke Hemer Paul Young and I came up with a bit of a plan to put us in the position to win.” Jasper Thomas (6.5m) was second in 12.07s from Mitch O’Neil in 12.11 two of the fastest men in Australia were not even running in the final Evans admitted he was bullish about his chances when he saw his 9.75m handicap Jasper Thomas and Patrick Martin but I knew it [the handicap] was good for me The rain came and the power went out at Central Park before Gout ran his semi Then he finished second and the electricity that had crackled around the packed venue disappeared the man who only weeks ago ran 10 seconds for the 100 metres in the heat of the national titles Then Gout ran out of track to make up the ground on Evans So I’m definitely happy to run and happy to be in the semi-final.” Kennedy ran 12.23s and was beaten by Dash Muir who like Gout is only 17 and doing year 12 Bree Rizzo celebrates winning from scratch.Credit: Luke Hemer Gout and Kennedy later ran the back markers’ race Bree Rizzo made history after the Olympic semi-finalist won the Gift her husband Matt won as an 18-year-old in 2017 The couple met that year at the Gift when Rizzo Rizzo ran a stunning 13.52s to win the race She also took bragging rights over Matt – he ran off a 7.5m handicap peg to peg at a Stawell Gift the fastest a woman has ever run was 13.77s so 13.5 is a massive chop off my PB over 120 on grass,” Rizzo said wherever you win from is absolutely incredible News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter An earlier version of this story named Bree Rizzo as an Olympic silver medallist The mistake was introduced in production and has been corrected John Evans isn\\u2019t sure what the bigger achievement will be \\u2013 telling his kids he won the Stawell Gift This year\\u2019s Stawell Gift had been all about Australia\\u2019s phenomenon Gout who had come to the western district town for Australia\\u2019s richest footrace \\u2013 and brought about 7000 fans into Central Park \\u201CI knew that Gout Gout was gonna be right there at the finish line if there\\u2019s one or two more steps he would have had me\\u2019,\\u201D Evans said I just run pros and I\\u2019m not going to be running against the likes of Gout Gout and Lachie Kennedy again and I get to tell my kids I did that now.\\u201D I\\u2019ve been dreaming of this for a very Paul Young and I came up with a bit of a plan to put us in the position to win.\\u201D Jasper Thomas (6.5m) was second in 12.07s from Mitch O\\u2019Neil in 12.11 The handicappers didn\\u2019t have a great day see what I could do from it,\\u201D he said \\u201CIt was always gonna be tough against and I had to just keep pushing from it.\\u201D So I\\u2019m definitely happy to run and happy to be in the semi-final.\\u201D didn\\u2019t have enough today,\\u201D Kennedy said Gout and Kennedy later ran the back markers\\u2019 race She also took bragging rights over Matt \\u2013 he ran off a 7.5m handicap \\u201CThat\\u2019s the fastest that I\\u2019ve ever run so 13.5 is a massive chop off my PB over 120 on grass,\\u201D Rizzo said \\u201CMatt thinks I did better than him now results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter. An earlier version of this story named Bree Rizzo as an Olympic silver medallist. She is an Olympic semi-finalist. The mistake was introduced in production and has been corrected. John Evans isn\\u2019t sure what the bigger achievement will be \\u2013 telling his kids he won the Stawell Gift, or telling them that the day he did it, he beat Gout Gout? This year\\u2019s Stawell Gift had been all about Australia\\u2019s phenomenon Gout, who had come to the western district town for Australia\\u2019s richest footrace \\u2013 and brought about 7000 fans into Central Park, double last year\\u2019s attendance. But on Monday, the schoolboy was beaten by a school teacher. Gout, who is in year 12, was beaten in the semi-final by eventual Gift winner Evans, a 28-year-old high school teacher from South Australia. Evans, whose coach, Paul Young, won the race 40 years ago, won the final in 11.94 seconds from his 9.75-metre handicap. Gout had been running with a 0.25m start. \\u201CI knew that Gout Gout was gonna be right there at the finish line. So once I finished, I looked across and just saw him next to me. I was like, \\u2018Oh, if there\\u2019s one or two more steps he would have had me\\u2019,\\u201D Evans said. \\u201CIt\\u2019s pretty exciting though, you know, racing against Gout Gout. I just run pros and I\\u2019m not going to be running against the likes of Gout Gout and Lachie Kennedy again, so it\\u2019s a fantastic opportunity, and I get to tell my kids I did that now.\\u201D \\u201CIt means a hell of a lot [to win]. It\\u2019s absolutely fantastic. I\\u2019ve been dreaming of this for a very, very long time, or from the beginning of the year, Paul Young and I came up with a bit of a plan to put us in the position to win.\\u201D Jasper Thomas (6.5m) was second in 12.07s from Mitch O\\u2019Neil in 12.11. Josh Lotsu fell injured 20m from the line. Embarrassingly for the Gift, two of the fastest men in Australia were not even running in the final. The handicappers didn\\u2019t have a great day. Evans admitted he was bullish about his chances when he saw his 9.75m handicap. \\u201CI knew it was a good handicap. I knew I could work something off that, and I just really had to train hard, push hard, see what I could do from it,\\u201D he said. \\u201CIt was always gonna be tough against, like, Jasper Thomas and Patrick Martin but I knew it [the handicap] was good for me, and I had to just keep pushing from it.\\u201D The rain came and the power went out at Central Park before Gout ran his semi. Then he finished second and the electricity that had crackled around the packed venue disappeared. First Lachlan Kennedy, the man who only weeks ago ran 10 seconds for the 100 metres in the heat of the national titles, was pipped at the line in his semi-final. Then Gout ran out of track to make up the ground on Evans. \\u201CHe was pretty ahead of me, so I tried my hardest hit, and he got me at the end. So it is what it is. Good run,\\u201D Gout said. \\u201CI mean, this stuff you can\\u2019t control. I just go out there and run and have fun. \\u201CThis meet is incredible, and the crowd\\u2019s incredible. So I\\u2019m definitely happy to run and happy to be in the semi-final.\\u201D Kennedy ran 12.23s and was beaten by Dash Muir, who like Gout is only 17 and doing year 12. The Williamstown student ran 12.18s. \\u201CI just tightened up a little bit. The rain came in, got a bit cold, but I mean he ran a great race. It was close in the end, but yes, didn\\u2019t have enough today,\\u201D Kennedy said. Gout and Kennedy later ran the back markers\\u2019 race, which was won by Ryan Tarrant. In the women\\u2019s Gift final, Bree Rizzo made history after the Olympic semi-finalist won the Gift her husband Matt won as an 18-year-old in 2017. The couple met that year at the Gift when Rizzo, then with the surname Masters, had come down from Queensland to race. Running from scratch, Rizzo ran a stunning 13.52s to win the race. She also took bragging rights over Matt \\u2013 he ran off a 7.5m handicap. \\u201CThat\\u2019s the fastest that I\\u2019ve ever run, peg to peg at a Stawell Gift the fastest a woman has ever run was 13.77s, I believe in 2022, so 13.5 is a massive chop off my PB over 120 on grass,\\u201D Rizzo said. \\u201CMatt thinks I did better than him now, but look, wherever you win from is absolutely incredible. It is so hard to win a Stawell Gift. So yeah, to add \\u2018off scratch\\u2019, it just blows my mind.\\u201D News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. . AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) ABC News News HomeSport Gout and Kennedy miss out at Stawell Gift as Evans and Rizzo win finalsBy Luke Pentony and AAPTopic:Athletics John Evans (left) and Bree Rizzo show off the respective men's and women's Stawell Gift trophies Link copiedShareShare articleUnheralded Adelaide schoolteacher John Evans has taken down Gout Gout in the men's Stawell Gift semifinals and backed up with aplomb to win the 143rd edition of the celebrated 120-metre handicap race Lachlan Kennedy also missed out on qualifying for the final when he was runner-up to 17-year-old Dash Muir in the semifinals 28-year-old Evans flew home to win the final in 11.94 seconds well clear of Jasper Thomas (6.50m) and Mitchell O'Neill (4.75m) "I've never been a very good starter," Evans told the Seven Network "But I train with a lot of good starters The women's Gift was won by scratchmarker and Paris Olympics 100m semifinalist Bree Rizzo in 13.52 She won ahead of Chiara Santiglia (7.75m) and Jemma Stapleton (11m) Paris Olympian Rizzo won the women's Gift final off scratch Rizzo's husband Matt Rizzo won the men's Gift in 2017 and the pair first met at Central Park two years later "I don't know how to put that into words My first race was off four metres and I got third The 2025 edition of the Gift was the most anticipated in years due to the appearance of 17-year-old schoolboy star Gout and his friendly rival Kennedy Lachlan Kennedy (right) finished second in his semifinal Both of the backmarkers were somewhat unlucky to get eliminated in the semifinals on Monday when the weather was at its most inclement with intermittent rain and headwinds Kennedy (0.25m) was a close second in the first semifinal won by Muir in 12.18 Gout Gout (right) followed Kennedy in finishing second in his semifinal Gout (1m) was also second in his semifinal The Australian 200m record-holder flashed home in 12.34 but could not reel in Evans who clocked the fastest semifinal time of 12.10 Gout said he enjoyed making his Stawell Gift debut I'm happy to be here and race everyone." Look back at how the Stawell Gift action unfolded in our blog Submit a comment or question Log in to commentLive updatesLatestOldest21 Apr 5:08amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 5:08amThanks for your company!LBy Luke Pentony That's where we're going to leave our Stawell Gift coverage — thanks for your company Congratulations to John Evans and Bree Rizzo on their respective wins in the men's and women's Gifts ReactReactCopy link21 Apr John Evans has a bit of extra luggage to take back with him to Adelaide 4:47amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 4:47amWinners are grinnersLBy Luke Pentony Women's Stawell Gift winner Bree Rizzo shows off the silverware 4:41amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 4:41amGout touched by 'incredible' supportLBy Luke Pentony Gout Gout may not have qualified for the final but he didn't lose any fans following his Stawell Gift debut who was second in his men's semifinal behind eventual winner John Evans told the ABC he enjoyed his time in Stawell I'm happy to be here and race everyone Gout was a favourite with the massive crowd at Central Park and he appreciated the support People come from all around Australia to watch me run ReactReactCopy linkKey Event21 Apr 4:23amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 4:23amEvans triumphs in men's final!LBy Luke Pentony John Evans is the 2025 men's Stawell Gift winner showed cool nerves to hold off the rest of the field to claim victory finishing ahead of Jasper Thomas (6.50m) and Mitch O'Neill (4.75m) Thomas ran 12.07 and O'Neill stopped the clock in 12.11 Both Evans and women's Gift winner Bree Rizzo are $40,000 richer 4:13amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 4:13amThe men's Gift final coming upLBy Luke Pentony Here's the line-up for the men's Gift final 4:10amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 4:10amTarrant beats Kennedy and Gout to win backmarkers raceLBy Luke Pentony Ryan Tarrant has held off Lachlan Kennedy and Gout Gout to win the open backmarkers invitation 120m Chloe Mannix-Power (14m) and Jack Hale (2m) were second and third 4:04amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 4:04amGout and Kennedy still to face offLBy Luke Pentony Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy didn't reach the men's final Gout and Kennedy are about to compete in the open backmarkers invitation 120m which includes both male and female athletes 3:56amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:56amRizzo left speechless after winLBy Luke Pentony Women's Stawell Gift winner Bree Rizzo has spoken with the Seven Network following her stunning victory I don't know how to put that into words I wanted to retire at 23 and I am 30 this year and I am doing incredible things I guess it is the way the story was meant to go 3:48amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:48amRizzo wins women's final from scratch!LBy Luke Pentony Bree Rizzo has won the women's Stawell Gift from scratch overhauled the rest of the field to claim a famous win with Rizzo edging out Chiara Santiglia (7.75m) on the line She now joins husband Matthew as a Stawell Gift winner Rizzo is also the second athlete to win the women's Gift from scratch 3:39amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:39amWomen's Gift final coming upLBy Luke Pentony We're not far away from the women's Gift final which is scheduled to start at 1:45pm (EST) 3:29amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:29amThe men's finalists are now decidedLBy Luke Pentony Here is how the men's Gift final will look when they hit the track at 2:20pm (EST) 3:18amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:18amGout Gout misses finalLBy Luke Pentony Gout Gout has missed the men's Gift final after finishing second in his semi Gout was the backmarker off one metre and launched an almighty effort to almost steal victory Evans showed a cool head to hold on to win ahead of Gout in 12.10 Gout will lose no admirers following his sensational run But well done to Evans on his triumph and he could prove to be the favourite in the final later this afternoon 3:15amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:15amLotsu sprints into finalLBy Luke Pentony Joshua Lotsu claims the fifth spot in the men's Gift final Gout Gout about to come up in the sixth semi 3:12amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:12amRain coming down at Central ParkLBy Luke Pentony We mentioned rain had begun to fall earlier in Stawell It's got a bit heavier as the men's Gift semis continue There's a bit of a delay ahead of the fifth semi but we'll keep you posted on the result 3:03amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:03amMartin holds off Hale to win fourth semiLBy Luke Pentony Patrick Martin (8.50m) claims the win in the fourth of the men's semifinals Martin just held off backmarker Jack Hale (2.25m) to win in 12.29 3:00amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 3:00amThe historical significance of StawellLBy Luke Pentony I'll fill in more details as the afternoon continues 2:57amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 2:57amO'Neill streaks to victoryLBy Luke Pentony Mitch O'Neill is the third athlete to progress to the men's gift final O'Neill booked his berth with a powerful display of sprinting to stop the clock in 12.21 2:50amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 2:50amThomas joins Muir in finalLBy Luke Pentony Jasper Thomas is the second to advance to the men's Gift final wearing the green sash and running off 6.50m won comfortably in 12,17 and will be one to watch in the decider 2:45amMon 21 Apr 2025 at 2:45amKennedy falls short of making finalLBy Luke Pentony Lachlan Kennedy will not contest the men's Stawell Gift final after finishing second in his semi tore down the track to pick off all of his rivals took the win in 12.18 to advance to the final with rain starting to fall at Central Park CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced Sandy McGregor is spending $50,000 to bring Gout Gout to Stawell He will generate at least 50 grand in ticket sales,” McGregor said Sandy McGregor has sponsored Gout Gout’s appearance at this year’s Stawell Gift.Credit: Getty Images He was one of the owners of Prince Of Penzance the 2015 Melbourne Cup winner ridden by Michelle Payne – the first female jockey to ride a winner in the Cup which won three grand national steeplechases When we say Sandy McGregor is spending $50,000 to bring Gout to Stawell to run in the marquee race He isn’t a Stawell organiser – he is a Stawell local which deals in over-sized electrical goods he retains deep connections to Stawell and Victoria’s western districts His family have operated a 7500-acre grain and sheep farm in Callawadda when they were an original colonial settler family to the area He remains as earthy as the farm he grew up on when Payne rode Prince Of Penzance to a Gold Cup win at Moonee Valley Gout Gout is the No.1 drawcard at this year’s Stawell Gift.Credit: Luke Hemer/Stawell Gift He was a bookmaker for a couple of years on the track at the Stawell Gift including the year Olympian Dean Capobianco won it in 1990 and has a love for the famous foot race and what it means to the region “I have helped out from time to time. If I see someone that they can’t afford [to bring in to race], I put my hand up and say I’ll help out,” McGregor said. In 2016, he funded Kenyan runners Edwin K. Melly and Nicholas Kipkoech to come to Stawell “I don’t sponsor them every year – I wait for the right moment to come along “We caught him before he became famous. He had just started running quickly, and I saw it in the newspaper and rang up his manager and asked them to come to Stawell. The money we gave him for Stawell helped them be able to go to America to train with Noah Lyles.” McGregor has offered to continue to support Gout with training and travel after Stawell “I give away half a million a year in sponsorships in the western district McGregor has little doubt of the Gout effect Tickets for the gift final this Easter Monday are close to selling out normally draws about half the crowd of the Monday with Gout and his friendly rival Lachie Kennedy – who beat Gout over 200 metres at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne earlier this year – both running tickets for the Saturday are also close to selling out When Gout ran at the Maurie Plant at Albert Park it drew a sellout 10,000-strong crowd. If they had built temporary stands – and had more entry/exit gates – many thousands more would have come. When he ran at the national championships in Perth last Sunday It has been a huge ratings windfall for Channel Seven, especially on Saturdays when they now no longer have free-to-air AFL football to broadcast Gout’s races in Stawell will all be shown live on TV with the final held before the Easter Monday blockbuster between Geelong and Hawthorn along with popular 1993 gift winner and racing commentator Jason Richardson McGregor puts the schoolboy’s impact in horse-racing terms “It is like Black Caviar going to Adelaide and they sold the joint out [30,000 people],” he said Sandy McGregor (left) with Nick Rule after one of their horses won a race in Bendigo in 2017.Credit: Racing Photos “[Gout] has the same profile as Black Caviar – he is the biggest thing in the sport they never sell that [Adelaide] out – the same for Gout “I would be surprised if they don’t sell out both days “Gout is even going to come and start the egg-and-spoon race for me [at Stawell].” who wins the 120-metre gift on the grass at Stawell’s main footy and cricket oval Or a lesser-known runner (everyone is a lesser known compared to Gout) “I would not be surprised if there is not much in it between him [Kennedy] and Gout on the line,” said McGregor “Kennedy is a better runner than Gout over 100 metres but this is a 120-metre race and that last 20 metres will be the key McGregor has already laid his own bet on Gout at Stawell by spending to get him to race at the gift cannot lay an actual bet on Gout for Stawell because betting is banned in Victoria on juniors McGregor wants to expand his investment in Stawell He has proposed to the local organisers to generate a fund of $1 million a year over five to 10 years to bring Gout back “[What] I wanted to do was put together a fund of $1 million a year funded by rich people that goes into a pool in his [Gout’s] name and goes into getting the best foot racers in the world “Channel Seven will get 1.2 million viewers this year You would have to have serious runners though – the best runners in the world.” a small town with a big history and the richest foot race in Australia will start by hosting the youngest fastest and most exciting Australian sprinter we have ever seen News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter He will generate at least 50 grand in ticket sales,\\u201D McGregor said the 2015 Melbourne Cup winner ridden by Michelle Payne \\u2013 the first female jockey to ride a winner in the Cup let\\u2019s be clear: it\\u2019s his money He isn\\u2019t a Stawell organiser \\u2013 he is a Stawell local he retains deep connections to Stawell and Victoria\\u2019s western districts \\u201CI have helped out from time to time If I see someone that they can\\u2019t afford [to bring in to race] I put my hand up and say I\\u2019ll help out,\\u201D McGregor said he funded Kenyan runners to come to Stawell \\u201CI don\\u2019t sponsor them every year \\u2013 I wait for the right moment to come along \\u201CWe caught him before he became famous and I saw it in the newspaper and rang up his manager and asked them to come to Stawell The money we gave him for Stawell helped them be able to .\\u201D \\u201CI give away half a million a year in sponsorships in the western district some of the time it\\u2019s the Stawell Gift.\\u201D To put McGregor\\u2019s generosity in context with Gout and his friendly rival Lachie Kennedy \\u2013 who beat Gout over 200 metres at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne earlier this year \\u2013 both running When Gout ran at the Maurie Plant at Albert Park it drew a sellout 10,000-strong crowd If they had built temporary stands \\u2013 and had more entry/exit gates \\u2013 many thousands more would have come It has been a huge ratings windfall for Channel Seven when they now no longer have free-to-air AFL football to broadcast Gout\\u2019s races in Stawell will all be shown live on TV McGregor puts the schoolboy\\u2019s impact in horse-racing terms \\u201CIt is like Black Caviar going to Adelaide and they sold the joint out [30,000 people],\\u201D he said \\u201C[Gout] has the same profile as Black Caviar \\u2013 he is the biggest thing in the sport they never sell that [Adelaide] out \\u2013 the same for Gout \\u201CI would be surprised if they don\\u2019t sell out both days \\u201CGout is even going to come and start the egg-and-spoon race for me [at Stawell].\\u201D who wins the 120-metre gift on the grass at Stawell\\u2019s main footy and cricket oval \\u201CI would not be surprised if there is not much in it between him [Kennedy] and Gout on the line,\\u201D said McGregor \\u201CKennedy is a better runner than Gout over 100 metres \\u201C[What] I wanted to do was put together a fund of $1 million a year funded by rich people that goes into a pool in his [Gout\\u2019s] name and goes into getting the best foot racers in the world \\u201CChannel Seven will get 1.2 million viewers this year \\u2018What if we can do this every year?\\u2019 You would have to have serious runners though \\u2013 the best runners in the world.\\u201D results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday Gout Gout will have to overcome a major hurdle at the Stawell Gift with a quirk in the rankings adding an extra roadblock to the teenage superstar’s chance to create history Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later This year’s edition attracted a crowd almost as big as the population of the small country Victoria town where it is held – and they didn’t leave disappointed a power blackout and Gout Gout add to fun of historic raceThis year’s edition attracted a crowd almost as big as the population of the small country Victoria town where it is held – and they didn’t leave disappointed Read moreNew York’s version has been made famous by literature Stawell’s alternative does not enjoy the same status within international culture But for a moment over the Easter weekend it did at least enjoy the world athletics spotlight chose to complete his season with an appearance at the Stawell Gift going back to the formative years of the town in the midst of the gold rushes of the 19th century From the winners’ plaques on the clubhouse to the ground’s charming but dilapidated grandstands hot chips in cups and a quaint English garden The Central Park grandstand Photograph: Morgan Hancock/Getty ImagesDespite the long traditions few locals could remember ever seeing a show like Gout The attendance at Central Park on Monday was 5,827 – around double who came last year – and almost every vantage point was occupied The paths snaking around field slowed to a standstill for much of the day was the highest recorded for at least two decades flew back to Brisbane for three days of school It was to be a fitting way to conclude an extraordinary season and the chance to win the first prize of $40,000 that has been shared millions of times in recent days and to see how I catch up to everyone was pretty cool,” Gout said There's a 17-year-old kid in Australia, named Gout Gout, who has run 100m in 9.99 seconds, and 200m in 19.84 seconds.He is considered to have as much potential as Usain Bolt, and will probably be an Olympic champion one day.Here's some absolutely crazy footage of him today... pic.twitter.com/ScO3qpr2hc That vision was also a good way to enjoy the work of Kevin “Cabbage” Rickard The curator has been turning the town’s footy oval into a high-level grass athletics surface for 40 years The grass track may be common to the so-called professional circuit of country meets that occupy the Australian summer but to high-level sprinters competing on such a surface is unusual It is not the only thing about Stawell that demands adjustment to outsiders where handicappers give all but the fastest runners head starts The desired outcome is that each runner has at least a chance of winning each race encouraging punters a compelling bet on the outcome But the appearance of Gout was unusual in this context too and so – as much as those present might have wanted to – a wager on a victory for the 17-year-old was prohibited Free weekly newsletterThe best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend’s action Women’s Gift winner Bree Rizzo with an official Photograph: Morgan Hancock/Getty ImagesVolunteers from the Stawell Athletic Club dressed immaculately in maroon blazers and ties were dotted around the venue one said the tradition of requiring athletes to wear the brightly-coloured but consistent uniforms can be a point of contention but some athletes will choose to tie up their singlets at the waist to reduce the drag Read moreThe final image the thousands of fans will have of Gout was the teenager’s appearance in the back-markers’ invitational Although he could not be the subject of wagering Gout was able to wear the logo of the beer company which sponsored the race but spent minutes signing autographs and posing for selfies to the young fans shouting “Gout The appearance of Gout Gout swelled this year’s attendance Photograph: Morgan Hancock/Getty ImagesOne police officer was impressed by the turnout suspecting Gout had helped sell many thousands more tickets over the weekend A local he was conversing with suggested it was a positive outcome for athletics helping creating a cycle and draw more child to the sport “Better than playing a Playstation,” he said Gout’s team was treating the appearance at Stawell as a celebration of what has been a fantastic few months Just as the men’s final was about to begin he hugged the day’s star performer Bree Rizzo who did something even Gout couldn’t do – win as a back-marker This is probably not the page you’re looking for Eyes were fixed on the Victorian town of Stawell over the Easter weekend for sports fans with the annual Stawell Gift taking place the nation's fastest athletes will converge on the regional town each vying for a payday in the country's richest race The Sporting News provides the schedule and results for the 2025 edition of the Stawell Gift MORE: Details, how to watch and the prize money for Australia's richest race Bree Rizzo won one of the all-time great Women's Gifts off scratch in a time of 13.521 No-one under four metres has ever previously won the race Rizzo walks away with $40,000 in prize money "To win it off scratch, it's just mind-blowing, so special. I'm just so proud of myself."Bree Rizzo you superstar 🤩 pic.twitter.com/TCdxrCbRqc John Evans could not be caught all weekend and now he's $40,000 richer in a dominant performance to become the 2025 Stawell Gift winner Jasper Thomas finished second with Mitchell O'Neill in third The man who couldn't be caught all weekend 🔥John Evans wins the 2025 Stawell Gift pic.twitter.com/r055h3xkZj Paster Runners and Trainers Association Masters Handicap – 1600m Stawell Gift Hall of Fame Backmarkers Handicap – 1600m Northern Grampians Shire Council Women’s 800m Handicap – 800m Hipworth Athletic Club Under 18 Handicap – 100m Powercor Little Athletics Victoria Handicap – 800m Stawell Times News Under 18 Boys Handicap – 100m Skillinvest Under 18 Girls Handicap – 100m Official Supporters Club Frontmarkers Handicap – 1600m Powercor Little Athletics Victoria Handicap – 400m Dulkeith Technologies Hank Neil Masters’ Handicap – 100m Stawell Gold Mines Bill McManus Backmarkers’ Handicap – 400m Chris Perry Memorial Backmarkers Invitation Handicap- 120m The Stawell Gift event is being held over Easter from Saturday The main events for men and women - Stawell Gift (men) and the Women's Gift (women) - will be held on Monday The 143rd Stawell Gift is being held in the western Victorian town of Stawell Central Park Oval is the site of the event Australian sprint sensations Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy have both bowed out of the Stawell Gift after falling short in their semi-final showings Gout was edged out by John Evans in semi-final 6 just moments after Kennedy’s campaign ended in semi-final 1 with Dash Muir securing the win and a place in the final thanks to his 12.177-second run MORE: How do Stawell Gift handicaps work? Mark Molyneux is a freelance writer covering the NRL and UFC for Sporting News Australia He has previously worked in the music industry and as a teacher around the world The Victorian Athletic League (VAL) has announced handicaps for nearly 1000 athletes set to compete in the 2025 Powercor Stawell Gift Australia’s richest footrace will attract the nation’s fastest sprinters some making their debut on the historic grass track The three-day carnival culminates on Easter Monday with the iconic Powercor Stawell Gift and Powercor Women’s Gift Following the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth standout names include Lachlan Kennedy (0.25m) all preparing to challenge seasoned pros from the backmarks Defending champions Jack Lacey and Chloe Mannix-Power return aiming to achieve what’s only been done once in event history – back-to-back wins Lacey sees the challenge ahead and believes Ballarat’s Patrick ‘Paddy’ Martin (8.5m) will be one to watch: “We have great talent coming with Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy,” said Jack “But there are many great contenders from the Victorian Athletic League this year – Dash Muir (7.75m) from Melbourne whose rise from rugby to athletics has turned heads is ready to embrace the challenge: “Competing at Stawell has always been a goal of mine The event’s rich history and the opportunity to compete for a big prize purse is exciting I’m running well and give myself every chance for a win in Stawell.” A highly anticipated matchup between Kennedy and teenage sensation Gout Gout is set to thrill fans with both athletes displaying outstanding form this season Athletes with higher handicaps are also expected to make their mark and from John Evan’s stable South Australians Jesse Cordoma (8.75m) and Corey Baker (9.5m) some competitors shared a mix of admiration and nerves: “Pretty scary “They both have been running extremely well so it’s going to be intense trying to hold them off for as long as I can.” “It will be incredible to see him race in person an absolute honour to line up alongside him.” “Gout Gout is such an extraordinary talent and a gift to Australian sprinting,” said Corey Baker 2018 Stawell Gift champion and Australian relay team member Jacob Despard agrees the pressure will be on: “I’m excited to race Gout and see if the hype is real but he’s only 17 and hasn’t proven himself against the men yet Let him develop and grow without putting too much pressure on him.” Bree Rizzo and Chloe Mannix-Power will chase down a strong field including 2019 winner Lexi Loizou (2.75m) and Queenslander Jess Mead (7.25m) Jess credits her improvement to training with Mannix-Power: “Chloe has been a huge help She’s given me advice that I’ve taken on board and taken into my running What she did last year – winning from the back mark – was really special I just want to run my own race and be the best I can be.” She also praised Rizzo’s presence: “What Bree does in this sport is really cool and inspiring Having her compete at Stawell alongside us will be exciting.” Mead heads into Easter Monday confident and composed 2019 champion Alexia Loizou also returns with strong form following a standout run at the Rye Gift in January – her fastest ever over 120m Other women in the mix for Easter Monday’s final include Nyajima Jock (3.5m) from Ballarat Olympian Ellie Beer who will also contest the Lorraine Donnan 400m (6m) Clare de Salis (7.75m) from Canberra and Jemma Stapleton from Melbourne (11m) “It’s always so exciting when the handicaps are released for the Powercor Stawell Gift and this year it has gone up a notch!!” said presenter Jason Richardson “The best sprinters from our nation like Lachie Kennedy Bree Rizzo and defending champion Chloe Mannix-Power will be roared on by a capacity crowd as they chase some quality middle and front markers It’s awesome to have these young guns competing in our most historic and iconic event!!!” commented Richo who has trained a record six Stawell winners including Mannix-Power sees promise in the returning stars: “In the right semifinal Robinson says it’s wide open: “The girls’ field is as open as I have seen for many years Hallie Martin has caught my eye for the last couple of seasons and I think that this year could be her turn She comes from a great squad (POD Squad Ballarat) that knows how to stage their run in.” He’s also looking forward to the men’s showdown: “It’s amazing to have Gout Gout at Central Park I think he will have his work cut out for him to challenge the lads (with handicaps above) 8m “Both Tim Delahunty and Pat Martin seem the most ready to go Jack Hale will be the most dangerous and I would love to see him final if we aren’t in the mix I would love to see Delahunty salute on Easter Monday.” 2017 champion Matt Rizzo is excited to see new talent emerge: “It’s fantastic to see that Kennedy and Gout Gout will be making their debut at this year’s Stawell Gift and if they arrive in top form and hungry to win they’ll be a real handful off the scratch mark all weekend middle markers like Jasper Thomas and Tim Delahunty are likely to make a strong impact early and will certainly provide a challenge to the back markers But if Kennedy and Gout show up in personal best shape we’re in for an electrifying and tightly contested Stawell Gift weekend.” Bree (Masters) Rizzo: “It’s fantastic to see Olympians like Bree entered in this year’s Women’s Stawell Gift and with her background as a former beach sprinter the grass surface really plays to her strengths “She’ll be coming home fast from the back mark while closing the gap on the front markers I know just how focused and capable she is and if she executes her rounds well For the full list of handicaps visit the VAL here >> https://val.org.au/index.php?id=27 Please note that handicaps are subject to change based on any new or undeclared performances prior to the start of the race The 2025 Powercor Stawell Gift will run from April 19 to 21 the carnival offers family-friendly entertainment with Fashion’s Day on Easter Saturday and Family Day on Easter Sunday The finals of both the Powercor Stawell Gift and Women’s Gift will be held on Easter Monday All events will be broadcast live and free on 7Plus across the weekend, with live coverage on Channel Seven from 11:30 am AEST on Easter Monday. Tickets are available now via Ticketek You must have online publishing permission or full ownership of this image Australia’s oldest and most prestigious footrace brought thousands of people to the region across the Easter weekend giving the community more traction in its bushfire recovery Grampians Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman said the town’s biggest event again captured the imagination of the country and attracted international attention “The Gift brings people from all over the state and country which brings a really important economic boost particularly after the challenges of the start of the year,” he said.  “To see the town full instils a real sense of pride in the community They can push out their chests as they walk around the streets which is really important because we’ve been so significantly impacted by the loss of income during the January fires.” Mr Sleeman said accommodation was widely booked – the nearest available for Melbourne visitors was Ballarat “Easter is very much a family-focused weekend and this year we’re seeing a lot of people staying on during the week between the two long weekends,” he said “We’ll hopefully have an increased injection of spending across not just the Grampians Mr Sleeman said events such as the Stawell Gift could bring people to the region for the first time “The Gift secures national coverage for our region – there’s drone footage with Grampians National Park in the background and the commentary talked to all parts of the region such as the silo art trail and weekends at Dunkeld Sport and Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos attended the Gift on Monday and said the event was a boost to the community “The Grampians region is an iconic part of regional Victoria,” he said “Events like the Stawell Gift support Grampians small businesses fill accommodation and provide a boost to the entire Stawell community.” Mr Sleeman said the Gift also inspired young athletes “I don’t think you can underestimate the power that this has for young kids in our region – they go to the event they see these amazing athletes and it gives them something to aspire to,” he said “My 10-year-old daughter is talking about running in the event now she’s been training with the Swifts – it inspires a generation to go on to bigger and better things.” Mr Sleeman said high-profile runner Gout Gout brought extra interest to the race “To have a runner like Gout Gout involved put a little bit extra shine on the event the winner is the Grampians region,” he said The region’s food and wine will be showcased at the Grampians Grape Escape on May 2 again boosting tourism to the area in an otherwise quiet period people are staying in all corners of the region it fills up the whole destination,” Mr Sleeman said RELATED: ‘Phenomenal’ Stawell Gift raises the bar The entire April 23, 2025 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE! Council to request WIFT removal from mining licence area Play Duration: 10 minutes 46 seconds10m Brought to you by The small town of Stawell in regional Victoria is busy preparing for the 143rd running of the Stawell Gift - Australia's richest and oldest footrace. The history of th Gift is full of drama, intrigue, and occasional controversy.  Guest: Robert Irvine, committee member, Stawell Athletic Club  Chloe Mannix-Power (far right) wins the women's 120 Metres Handicap during the 142nd running of the Stawell Gift.(AAP: Joel Carett) Published: 37m agoMon 5 May 2025 at 12:00pm Download the ABC listen app to hear more of your favourite podcasts There is unprecedented hype around this year's Stawell Gift Young stars Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy were set to contest the famous 120m men's final in 2025 Who emerged victorious in the pair's latest duel MORE: Gout Gout blitzes field to claim 200m national title The headline event in Stawell – the namesake men's Stawell Gift  – is scheduled for 2:20 pm AEST on Monday The Women's Gift is set for a 1:45 pm AEST start Click here for the full Stawell Gift schedule for 2025. All three days of action from Stawell can be streamed via 7plus. Notably, Monday's headline events will also be shown on free-to-air TV. Coverage will begin on Channel 7 from 11:30 am AEDT on April 21 and will wrap up following the Stawell Gift final at approximately 2:30 pm AEDT. Joshua Mayne is a content producer for The Sporting News currently based in Sydney, Australia. He has previously worked as a newsreader at 2SER and a journalist at Ministry of Sport. Joshua specialises in rugby league, motorsport and tennis. He is still waiting for Arsenal to win the Premier League again.  Teenage sprinter Gout Gout's highly anticipated Stawell Gift showdown with rival Lachlan Kennedy will not take place after both athletes missed out on the final. John Evans, a South Australian teacher, stunned the schoolboy in the sixth and final semi, resulting in the 17-year-old not qualifying for the Stawell Gift decider. Evans, who went on to also win the final later in the afternoon, blitzed the semi in a scorching time of 12.10seconds. Gout put in a huge effort to almost claim victory, but ran out of time. Kennedy was also unable to overcome his backmark and has missed out on the final after being beaten by Dash Muir. The other semi-final winners were Jasper Thomas, Mitchell O'Neill, Patrick Martin and Joshua Lotsu. Evans backed up with aplomb to win the final of the 143rd edition of the celebrated 120m handicap race. Racing off a mark of 9.75m, the 28-year-old Evans flew home to win the final in 11.94 seconds, well clear of Jasper Thomas and Mitchell O'Neill. Evans followed in the footsteps of his coach Paul Young, who won the 1985 Gift. The women's Gift was won by scratchmarker and Paris Olympics 100m semi-finalist Bree Rizzo in 13.56. Rizzo's husband Matt Rizzo won the men's Gift in 2017 and the pair first met at Central Park two years later. Despite the shock loss, Gout was all class with his fans following the sprint - making sure he high-fived as many as possible.  The teen will pocket $50,000 from his appearance, so he has plenty to smile about.  'It's been a pretty stressful couple of days,' Evans told Channel 7. 'My girlfriend will tell you it's been all nerves, but that's what the Stawell Gift is about. 'But a fantastic opportunity. Someone like myself will never get the chance to race against the likes of Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy, all these top stars. 'You look at the footage, I look across and I can see him like 'gee whiz'. He had me scared for a second. I could hear all the crowd hyping up, the commentators.' No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} There was drama aplenty at Stawell’s Central Park during the Easter weekend as one of the largest crowds in recent history turned out to watch the Stawell Gift While teenage sprinting wunderkind Gout Gout and his 21-year-old rival Lachie Kennedy – two of the event’s biggest drawcards – were bundled out of the men’s gift in the semi finals Olympian Bree Rizzo became only the second competitor in the history of the women’s gift to win from scratch Rizzo defied the odds to win after sporadic rain made for a heavy track blitzing home to win in 13.52 seconds – the second-fastest winning time in women’s gift history since the event was changed from 100 to 120 metres in 2006 In the men’s final it was South Australian school teacher John Evans who made the most of his frontmarker status racing off a handicap of 9.75 metres to win in 11.94 seconds after pipping Gout at the line in their semi final earlier in the day Organisers reported the biggest crowd figures since the 1980s during the meet with more than 6000 spectators on Saturday and estimates of nearly 9000 in attendance to watch Monday’s finals despite the damp weather Tipped as an international sprinting star of the future and drawing comparisons to a young Usain Bolt engaging with fans after his heat and semi final Despite failing to qualify for the final after attempting to make up 8.75 metres on Evans in his semi final Gout said he loved his debut Stawell Gift experience “Obviously running in the rain is a bit harder than usual but you can’t control the weather so you just keep running,” he said With 20 metres left Evans was pretty far ahead of me so I tried my hardest and he got me at the end This meet is incredible and the crowd is incredible.” Evans said he was determined to make the most of a favourable handicap but admitted he was nervous as Gout chased him in the semi final “At the finish I looked across and saw him next to me and I thought one or two more steps and he would’ve had me,” he said and I’m not going to be running alongside the likes of Gout Gout and Lachie Kennedy again I get to tell two of my kids I did that now push hard and see what I could do from it.” the wife of 2017 men’s gift winner Matt Rizzo said she was still coming to grips with her victory and that I did to run a 13.5 … is massive for me,” she said “I’m so proud I could bring it in that moment Rizzo said winning the Stawell Gift was on an equal footing with racing at the Olympics as a career achievement “It’s a little bit more rewarding off scratch but wherever you win from is absolutely incredible at the Stawell Gift,” she said “This is a whole different ballgame to the Olympics They’re so different and they’re both so special in their own unique ways Another big name at the meet was Olympic middle-distance runner Peter Bol who returned to Central Park after a thrilling second-place finish in the invitational 1000-metre race in 2024 Bol was unable to improve on last year’s result more than four seconds behind the winner Peyton Craig Several youngsters from the Wimmera region also ran at the gift in Little Athletics Victoria events Horsham’s Mitchell Sawyer reached the final of the boys 100m event while Jett Hill was ninth in the mixed 800m final missed the boys 100m final after finishing eighth in his semi final while Horsham’s Hannah Plazzer and Stawell’s Willow McDougall both reached the semi finals of the girls 100m event Stawell Athletic Club president Shevahn Healy said the atmosphere had been ‘absolutely electric’ during her first year at the helm “Coming into this as my first year has been awesome The amount of special runners that we’ve had has been amazing I’d guess we had a crowd of about 8000 or 9000 on Monday and about 6000 on Saturday.  This is what it was like back in the ’80s.” Northern Grampians Shire Council Mayor Karen Hyslop was equally impressed with the event The crowd has just been overwhelming,” she said People are really getting behind the runners and supporting them.” RELATED: Stawell left smiling after Gout Gout fever Australia's most iconic race is back for another year with the 2025 Stawell Gift to be ran over the Easter long weekend the nation's fastest athletes will converge on regional Victoria As world athletics begins to take note of some of Australia's top racing talent - headlined by phenomenon the Gift will likely pull more eyeballs than ever before The Stawell Gift event is held over Easter Weekend from Saturday The main events for men and women - Stawell Gift (men) and the Women's Gift (women) - will be held on the Monday Gout Gout will line up in the 2025 Stawell Gift as he continues to become one of Australia's most prolific sprinters He will be given a 1m handicap - with every racer handed a different handicap for the 120m race - meaning he will run 119m total however each runner is given a handicap that slightly reduces the length they will run Each runner of the Stawell Gift is given a handicap of between 0 and 10 metres These handicaps are administered by the Victorian Athletic League while rival Lachlan Kennedy's handicap is 0.75 metres The Stawell Gift is held in the western Victorian town of Stawell Central Park Oval is the site of the Stawell Gift the Stawell Gift will be shown live and free on the Seven network Betting on the Stawell Gift is permissable but comes with stricter regulations than most sporting events This comes after the event backflipped on a proposed bookie ban in 2024 allowing gambling to ttake place at the event The full list of Stawell Gift betting regulations can be found here who has a keen interest in the intersection of sports and popular culture Photo: James Ross/AAP PHOTOSAdelaide schoolteacher John Evans has taken full advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race Gout Gout and a good handicap to win the 143rd edition of the Stawell Gift Evans was understandably stressed when he first learned he had drawn schoolboy superstar Gout in the last of six semi-finals at Central Park on Easter Monday But the 28-year-old held his nerve and claimed the win off a mark of 9.75m in 12.10 seconds with Gout (1m) storming home for second in 12.34 Evans backed up to win the final in a flying time of 11.94 ahead of Jasper Thomas and Mitchell O'Neill emulating the feat of his long-time coach Paul Young who saluted in the storied 120m handicap event back in 1985 "I've been dreaming about this for a very long time since the beginning of the year," Evans said "Youngy and I came up with a plan to put us in the position and then a few injuries and a few niggles really hampered us "But my team and my squad really got us up for this." Stawell Gift winner John Evans celebrates with his training squad (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)The first thing Evans did when he crossed the finish line in the semi was turn left to see where Gout was "One or two more steps and he would have had me," Evans said "I just run the pros and I'm not running against the likes of Gout Gout and Lachie Kennedy again "It's a fantastic opportunity and I get to tell my kids I did that - and I beat him." The presence of Australian 200m record-holder Gout and his friendly rival Kennedy was largely responsible for drawing a crowd of 7000 to Central Park on Monday John Evans is congratulated by Gout Gout after downing him in the Stawell Gift semis (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)The conditions did the two backmarkers no favours with the semi-finals run into headwinds and the heaviest rain of the day Kennedy (12.24 off 0.25m) was just pipped for first place in the opening semi by 17-year-old Melbourne schoolboy Dash Muir (12.18) the rain came in and it got a bit cold," said Kennedy who shot to international prominence when he won silver in the 60m at the world indoor championships in China last month "I knew I pretty much had to run a perfect race to get him Gout was equally gracious after finishing second to Evans in his semi "Obviously running in the rain is a bit harder so you've just got to adjust and keep running," he said "I thought I was coming pretty hard and with 20 (metres) left he was ahead of me "I tried my hardest and he got me at the end Paris Olympics 100m semi-finalist Bree Rizzo claimed a spectacular win off scratch in the women's Gift in a record time of 13.52 Chiara Santiglia (13.55 off 7.75m) and Jemma Stapleton (13.67 off 11m) filled the minor placings Bree Rizzo beams with delight after winning the women's Stawell Gift (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)Rizzo's husband Matt Rizzo won the men's Gift in 2017 and the pair first met at Central Park two years later coming to the Stawell Gift I can't say I'm ever super confident," said 29-year-old Rizzo Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout could potentially be the nation’s greatest ever but not even he could overcome the Stawell Gift handicapper Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later. according to the Victorian Athletic League president Wide World of Sports can also reveal local businessman Sandy McGregor has committed $150,000 to support Gout Gout over the coming months — and that sum of cash is in addition to the $50,000 he paid the 17-year-old Queensland sprint sensation to run at this year's Stawell Gift McGregor, the majority owner of the racehorse that won the 2015 Melbourne Cup will support Gout as he heads overseas with his camp to race in Europe and Japan this year THE MOLE: Dogs nightmare forces Blues coach into 'total rethink' READ MORE: Unique Wallabies roadmap revealed as new coach confirmed READ MORE: Aussie basketball powerhouse on brink of collapse The Ipswich product will contest the 200 metres at the Czech Republic's Ostrava Golden Spike meet taking place on June 25 (AEST) as well as one other yet-to-be-revealed race on the same trip In September, he will fly to Tokyo to compete in the 200m at the world championships on his senior international debut and we're all hoping he gets to Europe and performs the way he's been performing in Australia," McGregor told Wide World of Sports US megastar Noah Lyles celebrates winning the men's 100 metres at the Paris 2024 Olympics "It's an ongoing sponsorship to support team Gout I put money towards the district first and Gout second and now that it was a success [at the Stawell Gift] he deserves a bit more support until he gets himself more firmly entrenched in the system." McGregor has no official ties to either the Stawell Gift or the Victorian Athletic League (VAL) which runs Australia's oldest and richest footrace but he wanted Gout to run on the grass of Central Park this year because he's passionate about the area thriving Gout and the event's other major drawcard, fellow Queenslander Lachlan Kennedy, were both bundled out in the semi-finals of the men's 120m Their early exits led to some sections of the mainstream media levelling scathing criticism at the handicapper, but Kennedy's coach and the VAL president both rubbished that criticism the impact Gout had on the country Victoria event was immense WWOS understands all three days of this year's Stawell Gift drew a crowd that doubled usual daily attendances the crowd was big and the town deserved it Sha'Carri Richardson of the US pictured at Paris 2024 McGregor said he wasn't considering making a pitch for Lyles or Richardson but VAL president Matt McDonough said some wealthy locals had indicated their interest Lyles is the reigning Olympic gold medallist in the men's 100m, while Richardson is the defending world champion in the women's 100m. "There are a couple of people angling in that space ... There are a few influential people that have some backing that suggested they're going to try to see what they can do. There's plenty of people around with money to support that," McDonough told WWOS. "Someone might say, 'Look, we can spend half a million to get Noah Lyles', and he might not come for that. Gout Gout waves to the crowd after bowing out in the semi-finals of the men's 120 metres at the Stawell Gift. Getty "Who knows? By the time we get to next year Gout could be just as big as Noah Lyles. So are we better off just spending a bit more money to ensure Gout comes back, rather than getting Noah Lyles?" Linford Christie, Kim Collins and Asafa Powell are among the superstars who've travelled from overseas to run at the Stawell Gift, which this year marked its 143rd year. "Stawell hasn't had the big international star for a long time ... We haven't had that for 10-15 years," McDonough said. "We'd be interested, the VAL, and I'm sure Stawell would. We would be super excited to have any of the international superstars come along, like one of those big-name Americans, to take on Gout." More than a decade has passed since the Stawell Gift last attracted a sprint superstar from overseas, but some locals with deep pockets are "angling" to entice one of or Sha'Carri Richardson for next year's edition, according to the Victorian Athletic League president. Wide World of Sports can also reveal local businessman Sandy McGregor has committed $150,000 to support over the coming months — and that sum of cash is in addition to the $50,000 he paid the 17-year-old Queensland sprint sensation to run at this year's Stawell Gift. McGregor, , will support Gout as he heads overseas with his camp to race in Europe and Japan this year. The Ipswich product will contest the 200 metres at the Czech Republic's Ostrava Golden Spike meet taking place on June 25 (AEST), as well as one other yet-to-be-revealed race on the same trip. "He's exciting, he deserves it [the funding], and we're all hoping he gets to Europe and performs the way he's been performing in Australia," McGregor told Wide World of Sports. "It's an ongoing sponsorship to support team Gout. Originally, I put money towards the district first and Gout second, and now that it was a success [at the Stawell Gift], he deserves a bit more support until he gets himself more firmly entrenched in the system." McGregor has no official ties to either the Stawell Gift or the Victorian Athletic League (VAL), which runs Australia's oldest and richest footrace, but he wanted Gout to run on the grass of Central Park this year because he's passionate about the area thriving. Gout and the event's other major drawcard, fellow Queenslander Lachlan Kennedy, . Their early exits led to some sections of the mainstream media levelling scathing criticism at the handicapper, . Regardless, the impact Gout had on the country Victoria event was immense. WWOS understands all three days of this year's Stawell Gift drew a crowd that doubled usual daily attendances. "They made a lot of money, the crowd was big and the town deserved it. So it's good," McGregor said. McGregor said he wasn't considering making a pitch for Lyles or Richardson, but VAL president Matt McDonough said some wealthy locals had indicated their interest. , while Richardson is the defending world champion in the women's 100m. "There are a couple of people angling in that space ... There are a few influential people that have some backing that suggested they're going to try to see what they can do. There's plenty of people around with money to support that," McDonough told WWOS. "Someone might say, 'Look, we can spend half a million to get Noah Lyles', and he might not come for that. "Who knows? By the time we get to next year Gout could be just as big as Noah Lyles. So are we better off just spending a bit more money to ensure Gout comes back, rather than getting Noah Lyles?" Linford Christie, Kim Collins and Asafa Powell are among the superstars who've travelled from overseas to run at the Stawell Gift, which this year marked its 143rd year. "Stawell hasn't had the big international star for a long time ... We haven't had that for 10-15 years," McDonough said. "We'd be interested, the VAL, and I'm sure Stawell would. We would be super excited to have any of the international superstars come along, like one of those big-name Americans, to take on Gout." Matthew Lloyd believes West Coast should consider moving on from number one draft pick Harley Reid this off-season, if they believe he is not fully committed long-term. Alexander Volkanovski has issued a cheeky call out to GWS skipper Toby Greene, and the latter has responded. Liverpool superstar Trent Alexander-Arnold has ended a long wait and announced he'll be leaving the club at the end of the season. John Hilditch has won a couple of events at the Stawell Gift race meet before, but nothing will cap this year’s event. John claimed the masters over-35 300 metre event as he competed in his 39th Stawell event. Alongside him in the final was his daughter, Laura-Jane Hilditch, who finished fourth in the race. John said it was a pretty special day for the family. “It was excellent and I’m ecstatic,” he said. “For the last four to five years I’ve had chronic injuries and didn’t think I would be winning races again. “I won at Bendigo a month ago and pulled up sore. I just kept on running. It made it special with her in the final. John has raced at Stawell every year since he moved to Australia. He said it’s like the grand final day of athletics and you always look forward to the event. “To win there, you have to be on your game,” he said. Laura returned to Stawell for the first time since 2019 having had twins in between then and now. Laura was the first of the pair to win through to the final after winning her semi final. “I’ve been going to Stawell my whole life,” she said. “It was my fourth ever final and to make the final with dad. John watched on and thought that his daughter had done a really good time in her semi final. He didn’t think that he could match it. In the end he went 0.1 second slower to win and make it through to the final. The pair had only raced in a final together once before. On that occasion, John tore his hamstring, “trying to catch her”. There would be no repeat this time with John taking home the honours. “She was fastest after the heats and I was second fastest,” he said. “I was nervous. “There was part of me that thought she would win. There was another guy in front of us and the last little but I got in front of them.” Both John and Laura said the weekend was the highlight of their running careers. “Racing with my daughter and getting the win was amazing.” Laura added, “both of us making the final was such a surprise. “Just making the final was massive. I thought when dad got going, he had the win. It’s our best Stawell in a long time.” John, who is also a coach, had two of his athletes win races as well. Picture by Lachlan BenceArmani Anderson and Grace Crowe lead the Ballarat charge heading into Monday's semi finals at the Stawell Gift after each produced impressive heat wins on the opening day of competition on Saturday All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueAnd POD Squad runner Patrick Martin is right on the cusp of making the final as well despite being runner-up in his heat to dominant South Australian John Evans who won in the quickest time of the day of 12.134 seconds Martin's time of 12.285 seconds was quicker than young sensation Gout Gout who won his heat in a time of 12.306 won his heat in 12.230 seconds to be the third fastest winner of the day Martin's time would have won 16 of the 22 heats who now trains with the Andrew Ireland team however he will need to improve that time significantly order to make Monday's final Ballarat Gift winner Jack Hale was another to impress in his heat easily winning from the backmarker position in a time of 12.250 seconds His slight head start on Gout and Kennedy on Monday means he is arguably the one to beat of the backmarkers but they'll all be chasing Evans who's 9.75m handicap is going to be hard to chase down Anderson and Crowe lead Ballarat's charge at Stawell GiftThe winner of the 22 heats plus the next top 20 runners all qualified for the Monday's semis The winners of the six semi finals progress to the final later in the afternoon Ballarat runners Armani Anderson and Grace Crowe took out their heats in impressive style while POD Squad member Crowe (4.75m) fought on strongly in the white colours to win in a time of 13.920 Keating's other runners Nyajima Jock (3.5m) and Mackenzie Estlick (5m) were also impressive in finishing second in their respective heats both easily qualifying for Monday's semi-finals Grace Crowe was an impressive winner of her Stawell Gift heat Picture by Lachlan BenceThe fastest qualifier was Jemma Stapleton her heat was notable in the fact she just held off a surging Jock Jock appeared to have more in the tank as she crossed the line and having just returned from Perth last weekend but was overtaken late in her race by former Stawell Gift winner Carla Bull off 2.75m Queenslander Bull looked just as impressive as when she won the race in 2022 Keating said he was thrilled to have all three runners through to the semi finals adding that he was confident his runners had significant improvement in them on Monday easily winning her heat in a time of 13.908 seconds She noticeably slowed down in the final 30m of her heat how she handles the higher pressure of her semi-final will be telling Ellie Beer was another to look super impressive in her heat she won comfortably in a time of 13.807 and her handicap could be a decisive difference in her battle with Anderson Newsletters & AlertsView allDaily Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords Twice as many people as last year came just to see the heats They came to see one person – the man whose name they chanted as he stood on the blocks This was the day Gout Gout came to the Stawell Gift Double the crowd – 6000 to last year’s 3000 – came to the small western Victorian town filling hotel rooms and squeezing into any vantage point they could find in the old grandstands of the football and cricket oval that once a year hosts the country’s richest footrace Gout Gout mowed down the field in his heat.Credit: Luke Hemer/Stawell Gift He won his heat in 12.31 seconds from his one-metre start but ignore that – he had shut down when he knew he had the 120-metre race won with 10 to 20 metres to go He gave a wave and smiled as he crossed the line and ran an extra 100 metres along the fence He later signed autographs and took selfies with the crowd for about an hour Gout flashes his trademark smile.Credit: Luke Hemer/Stawell Gift Soon after Gout’s run, Lachie Kennedy, the man who ran 10 seconds flat and beat Gout at the Maurie Plant Meet knew he had his heat won 40 metres from the line and was smiling poking his tongue out in joy which was the third-fastest time on the day it’s my first time running on a grass track and it felt pretty much like I was running on a synthetic track,” Gout said Fans show their support for Gout at Central Park in Stawell.Credit: Getty Images and I know it’s going to be even crazier on Monday I can’t wait to see what I can do in the semis “The 120m is literally like one of the perfect distances for me I don’t get that much time to get up to my top speed but I’ve got that extra 20 metres so it’s definitely great And I hope I can run down a few more people.” Gout is still wrapping his head around the celebrity he has quickly become The 6000 fans squeezed across to one side of the oval to be close to the action And I just love all my fans and appreciate everyone who came out – some people come from different states and maybe different countries,” Gout said “It still hasn’t fully sunk in yet [being a celebrity] because “I don’t know how much more I’ve got in me So hopefully I get a good semi and see what I can do.” but he too understands the star power of his friend and rival “I come into every race thinking I can win The mindset has always been to win at the end of the day So [it’s] definitely good for the confidence,” Kennedy said Hopefully we can go even faster in the semi “The best thing about having the good start is I think it might actually be beneficial to start behind because you have that chasing mentality plus having the good start you’d hope is still there I kind of like running with having people to chase.” We meet again: Lachie Kennedy and Gout embrace at Stawell.Credit: Getty Images fast starter had the runners starting up to 9.75 metres ahead of him covered within short order and then he had time to just enjoy it and celebrate but actually being here and hearing it is like a whole different ball game you’re like kind of hard right [at the fence] but I mean it was.. South Australian John Evans ran the fastest heat Jasper Thomas from Newcastle ran 12.22s from 6.5m Olympic silver medallist Bree Rizzo looked superb running 13.91s from scratch as she angles to match her husband Matt Rizzo who won the gift as an 18-year-old in 2017 “It would be lovely to etch Rizzo on the plaques on the streets of Stawell again he absolutely loves the Stawell Gift – it’s so important to him and obviously to me by extension,” Bree Rizzo said and it’s going to take some real focus on Monday.” The women’s final of the Stawell Gift will be on Monday at 1.45pm AEST News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter They came to see one person \\u2013 the man whose name they chanted as he stood on the blocks Double the crowd \\u2013 6000 to last year\\u2019s 3000 \\u2013 came to the small western Victorian town filling hotel rooms and squeezing into any vantage point they could find in the old grandstands of the football and cricket oval that once a year hosts the country\\u2019s richest footrace but ignore that \\u2013 he had shut down when he knew he had the 120-metre race won with 10 to 20 metres to go it\\u2019s my first time running on a grass track and it felt pretty much like I was running on a synthetic track,\\u201D Gout said and I know it\\u2019s going to be even crazier on Monday \\u201CI guess it was a mental game because I can\\u2019t wait to see what I can do in the semis \\u201CThe 120m is literally like one of the perfect distances for me I don\\u2019t get that much time to get up to my top speed but I\\u2019ve got that extra 20 metres so it\\u2019s definitely great And I hope I can run down a few more people.\\u201D And I just love all my fans and appreciate everyone who came out \\u2013 some people come from different states and maybe different countries,\\u201D Gout said \\u201CIt still hasn\\u2019t fully sunk in yet [being a celebrity] because \\u201CI don\\u2019t know how much more I\\u2019ve got in me So hopefully I get a good semi and see what I can do.\\u201D he\\u2019s now confident he can win the gift \\u201CI come into every race thinking I can win So [it\\u2019s] definitely good for the confidence,\\u201D Kennedy said \\u201CThe best thing about having the good start is plus having the good start you\\u2019d hope is still there I kind of like running with having people to chase.\\u201D running this gift\\u2019,\\u201D Kennedy said you\\u2019re like kind of hard right [at the fence] but I mean it was.. \\u201CIt would be lovely to etch Rizzo on the plaques on the streets of Stawell again he absolutely loves the Stawell Gift \\u2013 it\\u2019s so important to him and obviously to me by extension,\\u201D Bree Rizzo said \\u201CBut it\\u2019s going to take a lot to win and it\\u2019s going to take some real focus on Monday.\\u201D The women\\u2019s final of the Stawell Gift will be on Monday at 1.45pm AEST The men\\u2019s final will be run at 2.20pm Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 5 May 2025 12:39:26 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); Sprinting sensation Gout Gout will have to better Stawell Gift heat pacesetter John Evans if he is to make the final of the 2025 Stawell Gift ran 12:13 on Saturday to set the fastest time All eyes will be on the final semi-final six as Evans will be tasked with holding off sprint sensation and crowd favourite Gout Gout starting off 1m.  with the third fastest heat time on Saturday kicks off semi final one with fellow Australian relay squad member Jacob Despard off 1.75m and one of the favourites Jack Hale is the backmarker off 2.25m in semi four and needs to catch Tim Delahunty 8.25m and Patrick Martin off 8.5m.  Bree Rizzo and Chloe Mannix-Power will wear the red off their scratch marks in the women’s semis Jasmine Rowe will head heat one of the semi-finals as the front marker trying to hold off Kayla Montagner off 7m and backmarker and 2019 Women's Gift champion Alexia Loizou Defending champion Chloe Mannix-Power will have her work cut out trying to catch second fastest in the heats Jemma Stapleton out the front on 11m Semi-final four will see top hope Bree Rizzo hunting down a group with Amber van Eede in the front off 10.25 Third fastest in the heats Chiara Santiglia goes head-to-head with earlier favourite Jess Mead in semi five The Powercor Women’s Gift semi-finals commence at noon with the final at 1:45pm The Powercor Stawell Gift Semi Finals start at 12:43pm with the final at 2:20pm