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:
- Jenneke sets the tone as emerging talent steps up in Melbourne at Short Track Championships
The Australian Short Track Championships may not have drawn the full depth of the nation’s elite, but those who did line up at the second edition of the meet found conditions that were far better than Melbourne’s reputation might suggest. Michelle Jenneke made the clearest of those statements, claiming the national 60m hurdles title in… Read more: Jenneke sets the tone as emerging talent steps up in Melbourne at Short Track Championships - 100th Victorian Milers Club Meet sees record to Abdelrahim
Australian junior 800m champion Bob Abdelrahim ran the fastest ever two lap performance at a Victorian Milers Club meet with his runaway 1:46.48 victory at Lakeside Stadium. Abdelrahim, who turns 20 next month, extended away from the field with 350m remaining for a 53.9/52.5 negative split, taking over a second off the previous best VMC… Read more: 100th Victorian Milers Club Meet sees record to Abdelrahim - Australian Top Lists
Check out the top 8 performances by Australian athletes in the lead up to Commonwealth Games selection. With Top Lists back in vogue in the selection policy for Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games and for Oceania Championships selection (compared to prior years for World Athletics events where World Rankings ruled), here’s the performances that selectors will be… Read more: Australian Top Lists - Built to Rise: Izobelle Louison-Roe Emerges as Australia’s Next High Jump Star
Jumping has always been part of Izobelle Louison-Roe’s life. Long before podiums and qualifying standards, it was there in the backyard: sibling dares, improvised take-offs, and the kind of fearless experimentation that only kids seem to master. It followed her through gymnastics, where strength and movement were learned across every range, and later through athletics,… Read more: Built to Rise: Izobelle Louison-Roe Emerges as Australia’s Next High Jump Star - Mia Gross: I Thought the 400m Would Be Fine… I Was Wrong
There’s a particular kind of honesty that only shows up when things don’t go to plan. And in Canberra, Mia Gross let the cameras roll right through it. From the moment she arrived in Canberra, the signs were there. The heat. The hydration strategy bordering on military-grade. The nervous energy disguised as dancing. A sprinter… Read more: Mia Gross: I Thought the 400m Would Be Fine… I Was Wrong
