Sha'Carri Richardson won Australia's Stawell Gift on Monday, charging from scratch to take the title in one of the event's most noteworthy finishes.
The US sprinter ran the 120-meter handicap race in 13.15 seconds, overcoming a nine-meter deficit to catch the field late and pull away for the win.
The result places Richardson among a small group of athletes to win the race from scratch — a rare feat in an event defined by staggered starts.
The decorated sprinter closed the gap decisively in the final stretch, making her move around the 90-meter mark before separating from the field. After a near miss in the semifinal earlier in the day, she adjusted her approach in the final.
"Just make sure I'm patient that first 10-meters like my coach today told me, and just executing the rest," Richardson told a local TV broadcast afterwards. "I think I realized I was going to win right past 90."
The Stawell Gift, first held in 1878, is one of track and field's most unique events, run on a grass surface with handicaps rather than a traditional straight start.
Richardson entered the race as one of the fastest women in the world, with Olympic and world championship medals in the 100-meter dash. At 26, she becomes just the third woman to win the Stawell Gift from scratch, while also earning $40,000 AUD in prize money — about $27,500 USD.
The victory capped a strong showing across the weekend. Richardson advanced out of the semifinals by just 0.007 seconds before delivering a cleaner, controlled finish in the final.
Now, the focus shifts to the sport's outdoor swing. Richardson's performance in Australia adds an early result as she builds toward major international competitions later this year.
