Olympic silver medalist Sha’Carri Richardson claimed victory Monday at one of Australia’s most prestigious running events, charging from the back of the pack to win the Stawell Gift handicap race.
The competition, Australia’s longest-running and most lucrative handicap sprint, awards A$40,000 (approximately $27,628) to the winner. Contestants race 120 meters uphill on grass, with starting positions determined by their athletic abilities and past sprint performances.
Richardson, who earned silver in the 100-meter dash at the Paris Olympics and helped the United States capture gold in the 4×100 relay, finished with a time of 13.15 seconds to claim first place. Australian teenager Charlotte Nielsen took second despite starting nine meters ahead of the 26-year-old American.
The Olympic champion secured her spot in the six-woman championship race after advancing through a semifinal that required a photo finish to determine the winner.
“Thank you. The love, the support, the true enjoyment that I had on the track, I know everybody’s having here. I had a great time,” Richardson told Channel 7 following her victory.
Richardson’s triumph makes her just the third female athlete to capture the women’s Stawell Gift starting from the back position since the event launched its women’s division in 1989. Bree Rizzo accomplished the feat in 2025, while Melissa Breen did so in 2012.
In the men’s competition, Richardson’s boyfriend Christian Coleman, the 2019 world 100-meter champion, was eliminated during semifinal rounds. Australia’s Olufemi Komolafe ultimately won the men’s title.
The historic race takes place annually during Easter weekend in the small Victorian community of Stawell, where it has been held since 1878. The event was only interrupted for four years during World War Two and once in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
