STAWELL, Australia — American sprint star Sha´Carri Richardson surged through the field Monday to win the 2026 Stawell Gift, an annual race contested on handicap over 120 meters on grass in a small Australian town near Melbourne.
In the 144th edition of the event, Richardson provided one of its most breathtaking finales as she started at scratch and caught the field at the 90-meter mark before pulling away for an astonishing win in 13.15 seconds.
“Just make sure I´m patient that first 10-meters like my coach today told me, and just executing the rest,” Richardson told Seven Network television post-race. “I think I realised I was gonna win right past 90.”
“This is one of the most exciting, fun, and entertaining track meets I´ve ever ran in, not even just that, but the love, the true love and support for track and field, unbeatable,” she said according to AP.
Former 100-meter World Champion, Coleman failed to qualify for the men’s final after finishing sixth in his semi-final on Monday with 12.48 seconds. Only the winners of the six semifinals for both the men’s and women’s division qualified for the respective finals.
Australian Olufemi Komolafe won the men´s Stawell Gift ahead of Jake Ireland and Dutchman Liam van der Schaaf.
Earlier Monday, Richardson powered through the field to win her semifinal by just 0.007 seconds after she leaned back at the finish allowing local Halle Martin to almost steal the race in a photo finish.
“I feel like I am having a great time, but also working on race pattern, me and my coach Dennis Mitchell staying calm, executing, and running through the line,” Richardson said after the semi-final.
