Rising sprint star Josiah John ready for Stawell Gift challenge

Date: 17th March 2025

Western Australian sprint sensation Josiah John is set to make his debut at the Powercor Stawell Gift and is looking forward to the challenge. 

His manager, Tony Pekin, from regional Victoria who ran at Stawell in the 90’s, has been closely involved in Josiah’s journey, and is excited about the teenager’s potential.

As Josiah prepares for Stawell, he has received crucial financial backing from Perth based businessman Julian Stawell, the great-grandson of the man the town is named after. Julian was keen to support WA’s fastest young sprinter in competing at the prestigious event.  “Julian loved the idea of Josiah running at Stawell and was incredibly generous in making it happen,” manager Tony Pekin said.

After a season hampered by injuries, Josiah has returned to top form, demonstrating his elite-level talent with a blistering 20.87s 200m sprint at the All Schools Championships in Brisbane, only beaten by record breaking Gout Gout.

“Josiah is a phenomenal athlete. That 20.87 was the first real 200m he had been able to run in over a year, and it was simply incredible,” Pekin said. “If it weren’t for Gout, people would be analysing Josiah’s times.”

Tony believes the opportunity to compete at the Stawell Gift is the perfect way for the young sprinter to end his season.

 “What he’s really looking forward to is stepping onto Central Park and soaking in the atmosphere,” Pekin said. “It’s such a beautiful setting, and you can feel the history of the event all around you. Stawell is a country town that comes alive for the Gift, and for Josiah, it’s a chance to be part of something special.”

Tony grew up in Terang and competed at Stawell in the 400m races for several years during the 1990’s so taking an athlete back to Central Park has been a long-time dream. “There’s something special about Stawell – the history, the atmosphere. Josiah knows he’s not going in as a favourite, but he’s just excited to be part of it, catch up with friends like Gout Gout, and enjoy the end-of-season celebrations.”

Despite Josiah’s recent successes, he remains grounded and humble, says Tony. “Josiah has an incredible mindset. He understands when I explain to him Stawell is not about the money, but the sash.”

Despite missing out on selection for the World Junior Championships in Peru last Josiah remained unfazed. “Josiah was just like, ‘That’s alright,’” Pekin said. “He didn’t get upset. He just saw it as an opportunity to keep training and getting better.”

Josiah’s talent and humility stem from his strong family values. His father Dan, originally from India, is a church minister who dedicates much of his time to social work and supporting underprivileged communities. “They’re a beautiful, humble family, supporting people in need.”

The 17-year-old Year 12 student at a local public school in Perth is well-loved in the WA athletics community. “He wins races regularly against senior men over here, and they just love him. He’s a kind, humble kid who makes everyone around him better,” Pekin added.

Josiah’s coach, Asad Hosseini, has played a crucial role in shaping both his discipline and humility. “Asad has a strict no-showboating policy. Josiah won’t be doing any wild celebrations. He’s taught to be humble, and it’s a credit to him and the squad,” Tony explained.

“He’s still just a kid who wants to go to his school ball,” Pekin said with a laugh. “Athletics is important, but he’s also just a normal teenager.”

Josiah’s background in training on grass at UWA, one of the best surfaces in Australia outside of Stawell, could work in his favour for the 120m sprint. “Being a 200m specialist will also help. The distance suits him,” Pekin noted.

As for Pekin, his involvement with Josiah has evolved from athletics club president to manager, a role he took on to support the family’s financial needs. “Some of these kids are great athletes but drop out because they can’t afford the travel. Particularly in Perth, you need a plane ticket just to compete nationally,” he explained. “I’m just happy to help facilitate opportunities for Josiah and hopefully more WA athletes in the future.

“Stawell is special because it marks the end of the season, and for a lot of athletes, that means there’s no pressure. They’ve already done the hard racing at Nationals, and when they get to Stawell, it’s more about having fun and soaking up the history of the event,” Pekin said.

He recalled a famous moment from Cathy Freeman’s 1996 run at Stawell. “After she won the 400m, they told her she ran 50.48, and she didn’t believe it. She said, ‘That can’t be right, I had two champagnes last night!’ That’s the beauty of Stawell—it’s a celebration. Athletes are relaxed, they catch up with mates, and somehow, they end up running better than they expected.”

Pekin believes the combination of a well-prepared grass track, the excitement of the crowd, and the unique history of the event all contribute to standout performances. “Athletes come here thinking it’s just a fun way to wrap up the season, but then they realise the track is fantastic, the competition is fierce, and the energy from the crowd is electric. It’s no surprise that so many athletes pull out incredible runs when they least expect it.”

Beyond the racing, it’s also a chance for athletes to reconnect. “Josiah will get to catch up with so many people he’s raced against. He and Gout Gout get on really well, every time they see each other, the first thing they do is share a hug. That’s the kind of camaraderie you find at Stawell. It’s as much about the friendships as it is about the racing.”

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