Sha’Carri Richardson started at zero. Everyone else got a head start.
One rival had nine meters on her. Another had ten. The track was grass, on a hill, in a small Australian town most Americans couldn’t find on a map.
She still won.
On Easter Monday, Richardson became just the third woman in the 148-year history of the Stawell Gift to win Australia’s iconic handicap race from the “scratch” mark — meaning she ran the full 120 meters while the rest of the field was already well down the track. She finished in 13.15 seconds, the fastest women’s time ever recorded at the event.
“I think I realized I was going to win right past 90 metres,” she told Australia’s Seven Network. “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.”
What makes the Stawell Gift so strange
For those unfamiliar, the Stawell Gift is a pure handicap race. Athletes are assigned a starting position based on their ability, so the fastest competitors start furthest back. A recreational runner might get a 10-meter head start on a world champion. It is, in theory, a great equalizer — and it has been running every Easter weekend in Stawell, Victoria since 1878. This year drew more than 700 competitors and $155,000 AUD in total prize money.
Richardson took home $40,000 AUD (about $27,500 USD) for the win.
She nearly didn’t make the final
Earlier on Monday, Richardson eased up before the finish line in her semifinal — standing tall instead of driving through the tape — and advanced by just 0.007 seconds in a photo finish over local runner Halle Martin.
She cleaned it up in the final. Charlotte Nielsen, a 19-year-old Australian with a nine-meter head start, led the field into the closing stretch. Richardson ran her down in the final meters and crossed first by five hundredths of a second.
“Y’all fuelled me, y’all made this moment happen,” she told the crowd. “So thank you.”
Richardson joins Bree Rizzo (2025) and Melissa Breen (2012) as the only women to win from scratch in the race’s history. Previous competitors include Cathy Freeman, Linford Christie, and Asafa Powell — a reminder that this offbeat rural event has quietly attracted some of the biggest names in global sprinting.
Coleman bows out
Richardson’s partner, Christian Coleman — former 100m world champion and indoor 60m world record holder — did not fare as well. Also starting from scratch in the men’s race, he finished fifth in his semifinal with 12.48 seconds and missed the final.
“I gave it everything I got,” Coleman said. “You give them that much of a margin, it’s pretty tough.”
Australian Olufemi Komolafe, a 21-year-old medical student, won the men’s final in 11.93 seconds. He had entered partly to race Coleman, calling him his “idol.” He took the trophy instead.
For Richardson, this was a season opener with a story attached. No standard track. No regulation surface. Blocks hammered into grass on a hill, with flags strung between wheelie bins marking the course.
She started last. She finished first.
