South Australian schoolteacher John Evans has etched his name into Australian athletics history by winning the 2025 Stawell Gift in a dramatic finish at Central Park.
Clocking a time of 11.94 seconds off a 9.75-metre handicap, 28-year-old Evans outpaced a competitive field, including runner-up Jasper Thomas and third-place finisher Mitchell O'Neill.
The final unfolded under clear skies, a stark contrast to the windy and rainy conditions that plagued the semi-finals and, infamously, 2024's Stawell Gift final. Evans started strong, utilising his position as front marker to take an early lead. Midway through the race, he was overtaken but came back to regain the lead in the final metres. He fell across the finish line and let out a triumphant scream, capturing the emotion of the moment.
Winning the Stawell Gift was something Evans had been working towards for years, and he says it was no easy feat.
"I've been dreaming for this for a very, very long time," he said.
"From the beginning of the year, Youngy and I came up with a bit of a plan to put us in this position. A few injuries, a few niggles hampered us for sure, but my team, my squad really got us up and ready to go for this.
"This is my sixth time here... I knew it was a good handicap, I knew I could work something off that, and obviously I had to train hard and push hard and see what I could do from it.
"It's always going to be tough against the likes of Jasper Thomas and Patrick Martin and all these other fantastic runners, but I knew it was good for me and I had to just keep pushing from it."
Evans's journey to this victory is a testament to perseverance. Discovered by 1985 Stawell Gift winner and now coach Paul Young while playing football, he transitioned to sprinting and has since dedicated himself to the sport. Balancing his teaching career with the training requirements of an elite athlete, Evans's commitment culminated in the ultimate glory for a professional sprinter.
Young said that Evans has tired his heart out for years, and his mental toughness has finally paid off for him.
"He's got the resilience. He's got the toughness. He's got the heart, just the capacity to handle the pressure," he said.
"He's been nine years in the industry. He was athlete of the year in his first year, he's won seven sashes.
"He's never not-tried. He's never budged his mark or anything. He tries every time he runs, and the handicapper, to his credit, has finally just given him a little window of opportunity to have a crac,k and what's happened is that gave him the confidence and as a consequence, he's been able to improve beyond that, and I'm staggered."
This year's Stawell Gift carnival has been rather notable due to high-profile competitors Gout Gout and seasoned sprinter Lachlan Kennedy taking part. Both were among the favourites to win but were eliminated in the semi-finals.
Despite their semi-final exits, both athletes participated in the traditional back-markers' race, much to the delight of the record crowd of approximately 5,000 spectators, the event's largest crowd in decades, underscoring the Stawell Gift's enduring appeal and significance in Australia's sporting landscape.
The women's Gift was taken out by 2024 Olympic semi-finalist Bree Rizzo, who made history by becoming only the second woman to win the Stawell Gift from scratch, joining Melissa Breen, who did so in 2012.
Rizzo crossed the line in a time of 13.56 seconds, narrowly edging out Chiara Santiglia, who ran off a 7.75-metre handicap, and Jemma Stapleton, who ran off 11 metres.
Rizzo's win was particularly significant as her husband, Matt Rizzo, won the men's Stawell Gift in 2017, making this victory even more meaningful for the couple.
Rizzo acknowledged her achievement post-race.
"I am actually speechless," she said.
"I don't know how to put that into words. It is a historic race.
"To win it off scratch, I never imagined that. My first race was off four metres and I got third."
Evans' and Rizzo's wins capped off a big day at Central Park, with record crowds making the 2025 Stawell Gift one to remember.
