What is the Stawell Gift?
The Stawell Gift is Australia's oldest and richest short-distance footrace, held every Easter in Stawell, Victoria. First run in 1878, it is a 120-metre handicap race.
The race was founded by gold miners in the Stawell area who wanted a running event during the Easter holiday. It has been held almost every year since.
The race is a handicap, meaning runners start at different marks based on their ability. Slower runners start ahead of faster runners, making the race unpredictable.
Famous winners
Winners have included professional runners and Olympic athletes, and a win at Stawell is a career highlight for many sprinters.
Women compete in their own race, the Stawell Women's Gift, which has become an important part of the program.
The Stawell Gift is part of the Victorian Athletic League. It attracts crowds to the town each Easter and has a festival atmosphere. The Stawell Gift Hall of Fame celebrates its history.
The race is run on grass at Central Park in Stawell, and the final is usually held on Easter Monday. Prize money has made it one of the richest professional running races of its kind in the world, and bookmakers have long taken bets on the outcome.