American sprinter Sha'Kerry Richardson became the third woman in history to win Australia's oldest race, the Stawell Gift. She also clocked the fastest time in the entire women's race, Reuters reports.
The Stawell Gift is a traditional grass sprint race held in Stawell Central Park every Easter weekend since 1878. The race features a handicap system, with runners given a starting advantage based on their professional form and previous achievements. This year, over 700 athletes took part in the three-day event, with a total prize fund of A$155,000 ($107.36 thousand).
The American covered the 120-meter distance with an adjusted time of 13.08 seconds, the best result among female athletes in the history of the tournament. Richardson started from zero, while her main competitor, 19-year-old Australian Charlotte Nielsen, had a nine-meter lead.
Richardson's path to the final was marked by a narrow lead in qualifying. In the semi-final, she slowed down just before the finish line, leaving her closest rival Holly Martin just 0.007 seconds ahead in the photo finish. However, in the decisive start, the American outpaced all five competitors and won the top prize of 40,000 Australian dollars ($27,702).
“I think I knew I was going to win after the 90m. It was one of the most exciting and fun track and field events I've ever been in. And not only that, but the love, the genuine support for track and field here is unbelievable,” Richardson was quoted as saying by the BBC.
Richardson's achievement is a rare one for Stawell Gift, as few people manage to overcome a 9-10m gap to their competitors over such a short distance. Sha'Kerry Richardson became only the third athlete in athletics history to overcome a handicap and win a race from the back of the starting grid. Previously, only Melissa Breen in 2012 and Brie Rizzo in 2025 had won from the starting grid.
The men's competition was held alongside the women's event, with Richardson's partner, former world champion Christian Coleman, competing. Like Sha'Kerry, he started from scratch but failed to advance beyond the semi-finals, finishing fifth in 12.48 seconds. The men's winner was 21-year-old Australian Olufemi Komolafe (11.93 seconds), who had a five-meter lead.
Sha'Kerry Richardson: what is known about the athlete?
- A 26-year-old American track and field athlete who specializes in the 100 and 200 m.
- Olympic champion as part of the US team in the 4×100 m relay, silver medalist in the 100 m race, and three-time world champion — twice in the 4×100 m relay and in the 100 m race.
- In 2023, one of the lanes at John Kincaid Stadium was renamed in honor of Sha'Kerry Richardson.