SHA’CARRI RICHARDSON. CHRISTIAN COLEMAN. POWERCOR STAWELL GIFT.

Date: 20th March 2026

The 2026 Powercor Stawell Gift will deliver a sprint spectacle of international proportions, with two of the fastest athletes on the planet, USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson and Christian Coleman, confirmed to race on the famous Central Park grass this Easter.

Richardson is one of the biggest names in global track and field – a World Champion, Olympic medallist and one of the most recognisable figures in world sport. Known for her electric speed and unmistakable presence, she is widely regarded as one of the premier 100-metre sprinters of her generation. Coleman, a former World Champion and Olympic medallist, is one of the fastest men in history over 100 metres and a dominant force on the global sprint stage.

Richardson will contest the Powercor Women’s Gift, while Coleman targets the Powercor Stawell Gift in a statement signing that ranks among the most significant in the event’s modern history and reinforces the Gift’s growing global profile.

Since its first running in 1878, the Powercor Stawell Gift has welcomed some of the sport’s most celebrated names. International greats such as Olympic champion and world record holder Asafa Powell have previously graced the historic turf, adding global prestige to a race that blends elite performance with the unique theatre of professional handicap sprinting. The addition of Richardson and Coleman further elevates that lineage and signals a new era of international engagement for Australia’s richest and most iconic footrace.

For Stawell Gift Event Management Chair Murray Emerson, the moment represents both pride and opportunity. He said the organising committee was delighted to welcome two of the sport’s biggest names to Central Park. 

“Sha’Carri and Christian bring global attention, but they also bring inspiration,” Emerson said. “Their participation highlights the international significance of the Gift and the unique experience our grass track provides. This is a call to arms for locals, athletics fans and visitors from across Australia – come to Stawell this Easter and witness history in the making.”

The 2026 Powercor Stawell Gift Carnival will feature the finals of the Powercor Women’s Gift and the Powercor Stawell Gift alongside a full Easter program of elite racing, emerging talent and community celebration. With Richardson and Coleman set to take their marks on the famous turf, Central Park is poised for one of the most compelling editions of the Gift in generations.

The Powercor Stawell Gift carnival takes place at Central Park, Stawell, Victoria from April 4-6, 2026. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketek.

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