Richardson Overcome 10m Handicap To Win Stawell Gift

Sha’Carri Richardson overcame a disadvantage of up to 10 metres to become only the third woman in history to win Australia’s iconic Stawell Gift from the back of the field.

At an event where athletes are handicapped according to form and ability, Olympic 100m silver medallist Richardson raced from the ‘scratch’ mark – meaning she was required to run the full 120 metres and overtake the entire field to claim the title.

The 26-year-old clocked 13.08 seconds in the final on the uphill grass track to record the fastest women’s time in the 148-year history of the event.

Richardson edged Australian 19-year-old Charlotte Nielsen, who began with a nine-metre head-start, in the closing stages to claim the prize pot of 40,000 Australian dollars.

Former world 100m champion Richardson, who almost missed out on the showpiece after easing up before the line in her semi-final, said she knew she was going to win well before the finish line.

The three-day competition in the rural town of Stawell featured more than 700 competitors and offered total prize money of A$155,000 (£81,000).

Jamaican Asafa Powell, Britain’s Linford Christie and Australian great Cathy Freeman are among the global champions to compete at the event since it was first held in 1878.

Richardson’s partner and fellow American sprinter Christian Coleman, holder of the indoor 60m world record, contested the men’s event.

The former 100m world champion was eliminated in the semi-finals, where he finished fifth in 12.48 seconds.

The men’s event was won by Australian 21-year-old Olufemi Komolafe in 11.93 off a five-metre start – starting behind all but one of his competitors, with runner-up Jake Ireland starting at 4.5m.