The country’s top sprinters turned out for Day One of the Powercor Stawell Gift Carnival, with Gout Gout, Lachlan Kennedy, Bree Rizzo and defending champions Jack Lacey and Chloe Mannix-Power all progressing to Monday’s semi-finals at Australia’s oldest and richest footrace.
In front of one of the largest Saturday Central Park crowds seen in decades, teenage sprint sensation Gout thrilled the crowd in the penultimate heat, running 12.306 seconds off a 1m handicap, while Kennedy clocked the third-fastest time of 12.230 in the final heat of the day.
Adelaide’s John Evans, off 9.75m, posted the fastest time across the 22 heats of the Powercor Stawell Gift, clocking 12.134 seconds to edge out pre-race favourite Paddy Martin in Heat 8.
“I definitely enjoyed today, the atmosphere was intense,” Evans said. “But Monday is a brand-new day. I’m a teacher, and the kids loved hearing I’d be racing Gout Gout. He created such a buzz at the track today.”
Lacey also progressed to Monday’s semis, winning his heat off a 6m handicap.
Jack Hale impressed from the back, winning his heat in 12.250, while Newcastle’s Jasper Thomas also caught the eye, clocking 12.215 off 6.5m in Heat 20. With Gout, Kennedy and Hale all chasing Evans on Monday, the stage is set for a dramatic final.
In the Powercor Women’s Gift, Melbourne’s Jemma Stapleton was quickest with 13.75 off 11m, just ahead of Jasmine Rowe (13.74, also off 11m) and Chiara Santiglia (13.86 off 7.75m).
Rizzo, off scratch, eased through her heat in 13.908 with plenty left in the tank while Mannix-Power also cruised through her heat, winning in 13.948. Both remain in strong contention for the Powercor Women’s Gift.
In the 70m races, Ivor Metcalf recorded the fastest time in the Arthur Postle Handicap (off 4.25m), while local favourite Caitlyn Nicholson dominated her Change Our Game Women’s 70m heat, running more than 0.2 seconds faster than any other competitor off 12m.
The first sash of the day went to Mark Boxer in the Past Runners and Trainers Association Masters 1600m (4:10.49), with Benjamin Hayes winning the Stawell Gift Hall of Fame Backmarkers 1600m (4:00.19).
Other winners included Declyn Tanner in the Northern Grampians Shire Women’s 800m; William Hayes in the Hipworth Athletic Club U18 800m; and Oliver Irwin in the Powercor Little Athletics 800m.
Easter Sunday promises family fun with the Easter Egg Hunt and MattyB Kids Clinic in the morning, plus an action-packed race program. Highlights include the Lorraine Donnan Women’s 400m heats at 11.19am and the prestigious Herb Hedemann 1600m Invitational at 4.38pm. The winner of “The Herb” will line up against Olympian Peter Bol in Monday’s Invitational 1000m.
Mana Sports and Entertainment Group proudly manages all event operations, media, marketing, government and commercial delivery for the Powercor Stawell Gift Carnival, and produces the top-rating live free-to-air broadcast on Seven, highlights program on Fox Sports, and the 3-day livestream on 7Plus with Gravity Media.
Tickets to the live event are on sale now at Ticketek. Catch all of the action on 7Plus from 9.30am on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, with racing live on main Channel 7 from 11.30am AEST on Easter Monday.
