RIZZO DAZZLES ON EASTER MONDAY AS EVANS BREAKS 12-SECOND BARRIER TO CLAIM POWERCOR STAWELL GIFT

Date: 21st April 2025

Stawell, VIC, April 21, 2025: A record crowd packed into Central Park on Easter Monday, witnessing a thrilling blend of history, tradition and elite athleticism at the 143rd edition of the Powercor Stawell Gift.

Olympic semi-finalist Bree Rizzo lit up the track to win the Powercor Women’s Gift from the historic scratch mark, becoming just the second woman to do so after Melissa Breen in 2012. Her win also marked a historic moment for the event, joining her husband and 2017 champion Matt Rizzo, they become the first married couple to both claim a Stawell Gift crown.

“It’s such an honour to win this historic and prestigious event,” said Bree. “And to win off scratch is just amazing. I’m sure Matt and I are going to put both our sashes together on the wall at home.”

Second place was Chiara Santiglia in 13.55 off 7.75m and 3rd was frontmarker Jemma Stapleton off 11m in 13.665.

In the Powercor Stawell Gift, Adelaide’s John Evans stunned the field and the crowd, clocking 11.94 seconds off a 9.75m handicap to take out the men’s title. The powerful sprinter earned his place in the final by outdueling favourite Gout Gout in a stacked semi-final, then held off Jasper Thomas (2nd, 12.07 off 6.5m) and Mitchell O’Neill (3rd, 12.112 off 4.75m) in a sizzling finale.

John Evans paid tribute to his coach Paul Young, who marked 40 years since his own victory in the event back in 1985. After 27 years of hoping to coach a Stawell Gift champion, Young finally was able to lift the coveted coach’s Ferg Speakman Trophy, a fitting full-circle moment, as Speakman was Young’s own coach four decades ago.

Meanwhile, in the Furphy Chris Perry Memorial Backmarkers Invitational 120m Handicap, 2023 champion Ryan Tarrant proved too strong in a high-octane showdown with sprint stars Gout Gout (1m) and Lachlan Kennedy (0.25m), finishing ahead of last year’s Women’s Gift winner Chloe Mannix-Power, who claimed an impressive second place.

The Powercor Invitational 1000m Handicap delivered another thrilling race, with Olympic semi-finalist Peyton Craig producing a smart and patient run to surge home in 2:19.24 off 3m. Coached by distance legend Craig Mottram, Craig tracked emerging 17-year-old Daniel Williams (6m) throughout the race before unleashing a decisive final kick in the last 50 metres.

  “I know Dan is in good form and I knew he’d be a good person to track during the race.  Coming off the final bend I was pretty confident I could kick clear and it was great to get the win,” the 20 year old said.   

 Other winners included Jackson Bell who won the inaugural Powercor Liney Invitational 120m and Jonathan Rogers won the Dulkeith Technologies Hank Neil Masters’ Handicap 100m.

Sophie Stokes took out the esteemed Lorraine Donnan Women’s Handicap 400m while Hudson Downes won the Stawell Gold Mines Bill McManus Backmarkers Handicap 400m. 

The John Tolman Grampians Handicap 3200 went to Benjamin Hayes while Alex Jones collected the sash for the Northern Grampians Shire Council Handicap 800m.

Father and daughter duo John and Laura-Jane Hilditch lit up the Masters Handicap 300m, backing up their top-two heat times from Saturday. In the final, it was John who claimed victory, with Laura-Jane finishing strongly to place fourth.

The prestigious Bill Howard 100m race which is often a predictor of a future Stawell Gift winner was won by Sami Latu and the Jack Donaldson 200m was won by Nick Antonino just in front of stable mate and 2022 Stawell Gift winner Harrison Kerr.

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