Images by Luke Hemer, courtesy of Stawell Gift
The feature 120m gift races at the Stawell Gift are still open for the taking, with some impressive heat runs but no definitive favourite.
The fastest five heat winners in the Change Our Game Women’s Gift were within a tenth-of-a-second of each other, with Victorian hurdler Danielle Shaw the fastest at 13.64 seconds, running off a mark of 5.5m. Carla Bull (6m, 13.65s), Olivia Hastings (7.75m, 13.69s), Jessica Payne (4.75m, 13.70s) and 2015 Stawell Gift winner Grace O’Dwyer (7.75m, 13.73s).
“The Australian Championships have finished now, and I always wanted to come to Stawell,” said Shaw.
“The atmosphere is amazing. We don’t get these crowds at Nationals or any big meet that we have so it is really good to see all the support.”
Of the back markers, Bree Masters (scratch) was the fastest in 13.78s, while fellow scratch-marker Torrie Lewis also won her heat in 13.97s. Mia Gross (0.75m, 13.80s) and Taylah Cruttenden (1.75m, 13.88s) also won donning the red vest.
In the men’s Gift it looks to be a race in two, with NSW pro-runner Hamish Lindstrom (7.75m, 12.06s) and a comfortable performance from Harrison Kerr (9.25m, 12.09s) a tenth-of-a-second clear of any other heat winner.
“I’m pretty happy with that performance, it’s an honour coming in as one of the favourites as this is such a big event,” said Lindstrom.
“I’m happy to be in the position I wanted to be, just need to execute on the day now.”
Jacob Despard (1.25m) was the closest of any of the back markers to winning his heat, with less than one-hundredth-of-a-second separating him from Connor Loughnan (5m) after a desperate lunge at the line. Scratch runner Eddie Osei-Nketia just missed out on a heat win behind Tom Griffin (9.75m) by a similar margin.
National champion Jake Doran (0.5m) finished third in his heat in 12.55s, two-tenths-of-a-second behind Endale Mekkonen (8.5m, 12.33s).
The semi-finals and finals take place on Easter Monday.
Heat winners
WOMEN
- Heat 1: Danielle Shaw (5.5m) 13.64s
- Heat 2: Mia Gross (0.75m) 13.80s
- Heat 3: Carla Bull (6m) 13.65s
- Heat 4: Taylah Cruttenden (1.75m) 13.88s
- Heat 5: Olivia May (11m) 14.00s
- Heat 6: Ellie Whittingham (6.75m) 14.43s
- Heat 7: Grace O’Dwyer (7.75m) 13.73s
- Heat 8: Olivia Hastings (7.75m) 13.69s
- Heat 9: Amelie Burge (7m) 14.09s
- Heat 10: Jessica Payne (4.75m) 13.70s
- Heat 11: Cassandra Wang Iecouteur (7m) 13.89s
- Heat 12: Bella Pasquali (8m) 13.90s
- Heat 13: Bree Masters (scratch) 13.78s
- Heat 14: Torrie Lewis (scratch) 13.97s
MEN
- Heat 1: Hamish Lindstrom (7.75m) 12.06s
- Heat 2: Harrison Kerr (9.25m) 12.09s
- Heat 3: Corey Baker (7.25m) 12.42s
- Heat 4: Jesse McKenna (6.25m) 12.23s
- Heat 5: Duncan Cameron (5.75m) 12.38s
- Heat 6: Nicholas Antonino (9.5m) 12.26s
- Heat 7: Will Johns (4.5m) 12.49s
- Heat 8: Tom Griffin (9.75m) 12.27s
- Heat 9: Endale Mekonnen (8.5m) 12.33s
- Heat 10: Jesse Cordoma (8.5m) 12.31s
- Heat 11: Chris Vi (10m) 12.54s
- Heat 12: Aidan Green (7m) 12.29s
- Heat 13: Kyle Niccolussi (5m) 12.31s
- Heat 14: Connor Loughnan (5m) 12.36s
- Heat 15: Amanat Chaman (6m) 12.86s
- Heat 16: Kieran Gordon (6.75m) 12.27s
- Heat 17: Hasper Nettlefold (7.25m) 12.38s
Latest posts:
- Reed strikes back as Australia’s junior sprint surge rolls on: Australian All Schools 2025
Cool, clear conditions and the trademark Lakeside breeze set the scene for a finale worthy of a championships defined by waves of sprinting talent. And fittingly, it was one of the country’s brightest young stars who stole the show: Emilia Reed(WA), the Australian U16 record holder, who turned the tables in the most emphatic way. After… Read more: Reed strikes back as Australia’s junior sprint surge rolls on: Australian All Schools 2025 - Fryga completes a golden double as Chis storms into all-time territory: Australian All Schools 2025
If the first three days of the Australian All Schools hinted at a new golden generation of Australian middle-distance talent, the final day confirmed it. Fresh off an outstanding gun-to-tape victory in the U17 Girls 800m on Day 3 — a World U20 qualifier and meet record — Emma Fryga (QLD) returned for more, sealing a polished 800m/1500m… Read more: Fryga completes a golden double as Chis storms into all-time territory: Australian All Schools 2025 - Welcome, sub 10 man Edward Osei-Nketia
Australia’s Newest Sprint Star—Made in NZ, Claimed by Australia, Powered by 9.96 Australia has a long and storied tradition of adopting New Zealand’s best exports. Phar Lap? Naturally Australian (don’t look too closely at the birthplace). Crowded House? Absolutely Australian… except for the parts that aren’t. Russell Crowe? Australian when he’s winning Oscars or supporting… Read more: Welcome, sub 10 man Edward Osei-Nketia - The Top 10 Meet Records of Australian All Schools History
Entering perhaps its 50th edition, the Australian All Schools Championships have been the proving ground for the nation’s best young athletes. Since the first edition in 1974*, the meet has evolved through several age-group formats including U19/U17/U15, later U20/U18/U16/U14, and today’s U18/U17/U16/U15/U14 structure — but its essence is relatively unchanged: the best school-aged athletes in… Read more: The Top 10 Meet Records of Australian All Schools History - Izzi Batt-Doyle: Ready for Valencia
With the Adelaide summer turning up the heat, Izzi Batt-Doyle wrapped up her final major workout before flying to Europe for Sunday’s Valencia Marathon. The session? A warm, windy grind of 4 × 2km reps, each followed by 3 × 200m, repeated across three sets — roughly 12km of work on tired marathon legs. The… Read more: Izzi Batt-Doyle: Ready for Valencia
