Sha’Carri Richardson Etches History With Blistering Win At Stawell Gift | WATCH

Last Updated:April 06, 2026, 3:54 PM IST

Sha’Carri Richardson storms to Stawell Gift glory, chasing down rivals from scratch to set a record 13.15 and become just the third woman to win the race from the back.

Sha’Carri Richardson at Stawell Gift (X/10SportsAU)

She’s done it before, and Sha’Carri Richardson had no trouble doing it again.

The Olympic champion lit up Australia on Monday, charging through the field to win the iconic Stawell Gift — and doing it in record-breaking fashion.

A Race Like No Other

First run in 1878 during the gold rush era, the Stawell Gift is Australia’s oldest sprint race, held annually at Central Park in Victoria.

But this isn’t your standard dash down the track.

The 120m handicap format flips sprinting on its head, giving slower runners up to a 10-metre head start, turning the race into a high-speed chase rather than a straight shootout.

For Richardson, that meant starting from scratch.

From ‘Practice’ to Perfection

In the lead-up, Richardson had brushed off the event as “glorified practice.” But once the race began, it quickly became clear she meant business.

Giving away as much as nine metres to her rivals, Richardson methodically reeled them in before surging past the field to cross the line in 13.15 seconds — a new race record.

With the win, Richardson became just the third woman to claim the Stawell Gift from scratch, joining Melissa Breen (2012) and Bree Rizzo (2025).

Locked In and Level-Headed

Despite the hype, Richardson kept things grounded after the race.

“The race was phenomenal,” she said.

“(I’ve been) focusing in on the race execution me and my coach Dennis (Mitchell) have been working on and using this as a race to utilise those new gears and show them off.”

And while some might view the Stawell Gift as an exhibition-style event, Richardson made sure to treat it no differently.

“I don’t see it as any less than a regular race, the worlds, Olympics … every single time you have the chance to touch the track, you use that chance.”

(with agency inputs)

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