Adelaide schoolteacher John Evans has claimed victory in the iconic Stawell Gift, pulling off a sensational upset after defeating teen sprint star Gout Gout in the semi-finals before going on to win the final.
Racing off a mark of 9.75m, the 28-year-old Evans stormed home to take the title in 11.94 seconds, finishing comfortably ahead of Jasper Thomas and Mitchell O’Neill.
Lachlan Kennedy, another rising sprint talent, also failed to reach the final. Running off 0.25m, Kennedy couldn’t reel in the aptly named 17-year-old Dash Muir (7.75m), as light rain began to fall over Central Park — adding an extra layer of drama to the semi-finals.
Bree Rizzo Claims Women’s Stawell Gift, Adding to Family Legacy
Paris Olympics 100m semi-finalist Bree Rizzo has stormed to victory in the women’s Stawell Gift, winning from scratch in a time of 13.56. Her dominant run caps off a huge moment for the Rizzo family — a name already etched into Gift history.
Bree’s husband, Matt Rizzo, won the men’s Stawell Gift back in 2017. The pair first met at Central Park two years later, making Bree’s triumph not just a personal milestone, but a full-circle moment in a place already rich with meaning for them both.
Speed clearly runs in the family — and now, so does Stawell glory.
