{"id":117266,"date":"2026-04-06T05:31:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T05:31:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/06\/us-sprint-star-shacarri-richardson-wins-2026-stawell-gift-off-scratch-in-thrilling-finish\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T05:31:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T05:31:51","slug":"us-sprint-star-shacarri-richardson-wins-2026-stawell-gift-off-scratch-in-thrilling-finish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/06\/us-sprint-star-shacarri-richardson-wins-2026-stawell-gift-off-scratch-in-thrilling-finish\/","title":{"rendered":"US sprint star Sha\u2019Carri Richardson wins 2026 Stawell Gift off scratch in thrilling finish"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">American sprint queen Sha\u2019Carri Richardson has lived up to her star status as she chased down the field off scratch to win the 2026 Stawell Gift in a thrilling finish.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Olympic 100m silver medallist and sixth-fastest woman in the world joined hundreds of local spectators and athletes in the small rural town 200km north-west of Melbourne on Monday to take part in the handicap race for the first time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Stawell Gift is Australia\u2019s oldest and richest running race, with the 120m distance being one of the country\u2019s most prestigious athletics events. Athletes run on grass from a mark determined by their form and ability.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the 144th edition on Easter Monday in Stawell, the 26-year-old Richardson crossed the line in the women\u2019s final with a record time of 13.15 seconds, in front of Charlotte Nielsen in second (13.20s) and Chiara Santiglia in third (13.36s).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"7ab3394d-0751-4ea1-829b-574b2f7f4d56\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.YoutubeBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"YoutubeBlockComponent\" priority=\"critical\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;509128f7-43b6-4b4a-8fb6-d3548acdb445&quot;,&quot;assetId&quot;:&quot;yKO98vX61Hg&quot;,&quot;index&quot;:4,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:0,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:2},&quot;isMainMedia&quot;:false,&quot;expired&quot;:false,&quot;posterImage&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg&quot;,&quot;duration&quot;:23,&quot;mediaTitle&quot;:&quot;Aerial view of American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson winning her Stawell Gift heat - video&quot;,&quot;origin&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com&quot;,&quot;stickyVideos&quot;:false,&quot;enableAds&quot;:true,&quot;iconSizeOnDesktop&quot;:&quot;large&quot;,&quot;iconSizeOnMobile&quot;:&quot;large&quot;,&quot;hidePillOnMobile&quot;:false}\"><\/p>\n<div data-chromatic=\"ignore\">\n<div data-component=\"youtube-atom\" data-atom-id=\"509128f7-43b6-4b4a-8fb6-d3548acdb445\" data-video-id=\"yKO98vX61Hg\" data-video-unique-id=\"yKO98vX61Hg-4\">\n<div data-testid=\"youtube-sticky-yKO98vX61Hg-4\" data-is-sticky=\"false\" class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-0\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1ykam5j\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"2\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-ak74t3\"><button data-testid=\"youtube-overlay-yKO98vX61Hg-4\" aria-label=\"Play video: Aerial view of American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson winning her Stawell Gift heat - video\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-rvfwnd\"><picture itemprop=\"contentUrl\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 980px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 980px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 980px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=700&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 740px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 740px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=700&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 740px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 660px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 660px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=620&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 660px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=645&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 480px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 480px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=645&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 320px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 320px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/4fd09aeb9a8661c916d0e5402ff8f9e971a399c1\/0_748_1080_607\/1080.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 320px)\"\/><\/picture><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1alawo7\"><svg width=\"36\" height=\"23\" viewbox=\"0 0 36 23\"><path d=\"M3.2 0l-3.2 3.3v16.4l3.3 3.3h18.7v-23h-18.8m30.4 1l-8.6 8v5l8.6 8h2.4v-21h-2.4\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Aerial view of American sprinter Sha&#8217;Carri Richardson winning her Stawell Gift heat &#8211; video<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">But it nearly wasn\u2019t to be after Richardson eased up in her semi-final, standing tall as she finished instead of dipping on the line and only pipping Halle Martin by seven thousandths of a second to book her final berth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The final started in her favour, however, with a false start by 17-year-old Grace Crowe in the lane next to Richardson. Crowe was forced to move her blocks back one metre to 3.25m, providing Richardson \u2013 starting at 0m \u2013 a closer target to chase.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Nielsen started with a nine-metre handicap and led the six women for most of the distance until Richardson closed her down in the final metres.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"b1fe3f9a-10da-41fe-92db-9f30c2ecb5b7\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:8,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;\u2018He\u2019s phenomenal\u2019: American teen fast becoming athletics\u2019 next big thing&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;b1fe3f9a-10da-41fe-92db-9f30c2ecb5b7&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;richLink&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/2026\/apr\/01\/cooper-lutkenhaus-athletics-world-indoor-gold-los-angeles-olympic-games-2028&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:0,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:2}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Although the American promised to run through the line in the final after the photo-finish in the semis \u2013 something she said she was working on with coach Dennis Mitchell \u2013 Richardson again appeared to stand up rather than lean forward as she crossed, just five hundredths of a second the difference this time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Richardson becomes the third woman to win from scratch and takes home $40,000 in prize money. Nielsen pockets $6,250 for her second-place finish \u2013 a consolation prize for a time that would have got her first in every previous edition of the race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI think I realised I was going to win right past 90 [metres],\u201d Richardson said after the race.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cThe love, the support, the true enjoyment that I had on the track \u2026 I know everybody\u2019s having here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cY\u2019all made this moment happen. So thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.NewsletterSignupBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"EmailSignUpWrapper\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;index&quot;:14,&quot;listId&quot;:6058,&quot;identityName&quot;:&quot;sport-in-focus&quot;,&quot;description&quot;:&quot;Our picture editors select their favourite sporting images from the past week, from the spectacular to the powerful, and with a little bit of fun thrown in&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Sport in Focus&quot;,&quot;frequency&quot;:&quot;Weekly&quot;,&quot;successDescription&quot;:&quot;We'll send you Sport in Focus every Friday&quot;,&quot;theme&quot;:&quot;sport&quot;,&quot;idApiUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/idapi.theguardian.com&quot;,&quot;hideNewsletterSignupComponentForSubscribers&quot;:true}\"\/><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The Stawell Gift would have offered a stark change in racing environment for elite sprinters like Richardson and her partner, Christian Coleman. The pair are probably not used to banging their blocks into grass with a mallet on a field cordoned off with flags strung between wheelie bins.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"09d5164c-47dc-4c22-bb45-0f9fd694b1d1\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-fd61eq\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Olufemi Komolafe wins the men\u2019s Stawell Gift at Central Park, Stawell.<\/span> Photograph: Joel Carrett\/AAP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the men\u2019s 120m final, Australian Olufemi Komolafe won in an impressive 11.93s off a five-metre start, with Jake Ireland second in 12.07s.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Komolafe, 21, who is a fourth-year medical student, was disappointed not to line up against his \u201cidol\u201d Coleman, which had been his motivation to enter the race to begin with.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Coleman did not make the cut for the men\u2019s 120m final, finishing fifth in his semi-final off scratch.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI gave it everything I got,\u201d he said after the semi-final. \u201cYou give them that much of a margin, it\u2019s pretty tough.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI hope everybody continues to watch and support [athletics]. I\u2019m definitely looking forward to a really good season, trying to improve over that last 40 to 100. And so I feel really good about it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/sport\/2026\/apr\/06\/shacarri-richardson-wins-2026-stawell-gift-sprint\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>American sprint queen Sha\u2019Carri Richardson has lived up to her star status as she chased down the field off scratch to win the 2026 Stawell Gift in a thrilling finish. The Olympic 100m silver medallist and sixth-fastest woman in the world joined hundreds of local spectators and athletes in the small rural town 200km north-west [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":117267,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117266"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117266"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117266\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117266"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117266"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/basketball.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117266"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}