Stawell Gift World Athletics HeritagePrint Page

The World Athletics heritage plaque recognises the efforts of committee members, athletes, spectators, supporters and sponsors throughout the history of the event who have made the Stawell Gift what it is.

The Stawell Gift is Australia's oldest and richest short distance running race. It is run over every Easter weekend by the Stawell Athletic Club, with the main race finals on the holiday Monday, at Central Park, Stawell, Victoria.

The race is run on grass over 120 metres up a slight gradient. Competitors are handicapped according to their form, with each competitor 'marked' by between 0 m and 10 m to theoretically reach the finish line at the same time.  This process is administered by the Victorian Athletic League (VAL). Due to the relatively short handicap limit, the class of runners that can potentially win the event is limited compared to other Gifts in Australia.

The first Stawell Gift was in 1878, as a fun race between miners at the end of the gold rush. It has been raced every year since, except for four years during the Second World War. Originally it was the townspeople putting together an entertainment package to happen over Easter, complete with 'special trains' to the event. Today it is the most prestigious footrace in Australia.

This year’s Stawell Gift takes on special significance, with the unveiling of a plaque marking the international importance of the prestigious western Victorian athletics carnival.

Acting Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Jaala Pulford today attended the 139^th running of the Gift, joining with Stawell Gift Event Management Committee chair Stephanie Spence and Stawell Athletic Club president Neil Blizzard to unveil a plaque presented by World Athletics.

The plaque recognises the enormous impact of the Gift in the development of the sport in Australia and beyond. Stawell is the only athletics event in Australia to receive this recognition from World Athletics, the sport’s governing body.

The future of the Gift had been clouded until the Andrews Labor Government last year backed the iconic event with an investment of $1.22 million across four years to ensure the carnival continues to provide a substantial economic benefit.

With a new board of management, a new major sponsor in Powercor and a stellar line-up of athletes, crowds have flocked to Central Park over the long weekend.

Major events such as the Stawell Gift underpin Victoria’s global reputation as a top tourist destination, resulting in more local jobs and continued economic growth. The Gift brings thousands of visitors to the town and the region and is broadcast across the nation, encouraging tourists to visit this wonderful part of Victoria.

World Athletics heritage plaques celebrate iconic athletics careers, cities, competitions, culture, performances and venues around the world.
Premier of Victoria, The Hon Dan Andrews, 5 April 2021.

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