After defeating teenage sprint star Gout Gout in the semi-finals, John Evans crossed the finish line in 11.944 seconds to win the men's Stawell Gift 2025 final.
In the handicapped event final, two of Australia's fastest men weren't even competing.
Before Gout ran, the power went out. The spark that had been flickering over the crowded Central Park of Stawell Gift Final 2025 vanished as he came second in his semi-final.
First, in the semi-final, Lachlan Kennedy, who only weeks before had run 10 seconds for the 100 meters in the heat of the national finals, lost by a narrow margin.
John Evans, a South Australian, ran first in 12.1 seconds, and Gout had to run out of track to catch up to him by 9.75 meters. Gout's time from his 1m mark was 12.34 seconds.
When two of Australia's fastest men failed to get into the semifinals, it seemed like the handicappers had a bad day.
The frigid weather made for slow timings, with rain pelting down and stiff headwinds blasting high.
Running in the rain is obviously a little more difficult than usual, but you simply need to adapt and keep going, Gout added.
I gave it my all because he was far ahead of me, but in the end, he beat me. It is what it is, then. Well done.
"I mean, you have no control over these things. I simply go outside and run and enjoy myself, that's all. The crowd is amazing, and this meet is incredible as well. Therefore, I'm glad to be running and be in the semifinals.
Later, Gout participated in the back markers race, which Ryan Tarrant won.
Dash Muir, who like Gout is only 17 and doing year 12, beat Kennedy, who ran 12.23s. The student from Williamstown Secondary ran 12.18 seconds.
I simply became a little more tense. He raced a fantastic race, even if it became a little chilly and rainy. Although it was close in the end, Kennedy acknowledged that there wasn't enough today.
“He definitely had a healthy bit (lead) on me, but I knew I’d have to run pretty much a perfect race to get him. And, I mean, he killed it out there. He ran 12 one to a headwind.
“I mean, props to him and the wind, like you said, pretty bad, pretty yeah, pretty healthy, headwind. A bit of rain came in right as we had to go so not the best [but] I mean everyone’s running under the same conditions, so can’t complain too much. Well, handicapped racing.”
With Gout and Kennedy out, John Evans athletics took center stage. Evans powered through his semi-final and carried that momentum into the final, clocking an impressive 11.944 seconds to win the Stawell Gift 2025 final. The South Australian sprinter managed to hold off his competitors in a challenging race under poor weather conditions.
Bree Rizzo won handily in the women's gift final.
She had already crossed the finish line after winning her semi-final with ease.
The husband of Olympic semi-finalist Rizzo, Matt, who won the men's race in 2017 at the age of 18, has now equaled Rizzo.
With big names like Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy out, the Stawell Gift winners 2025 list was filled with new faces, including John Evans athletics triumph. Fans curious about who won the Stawell Gift 2025, what time is the Stawell Gift final, or when Gout Gout is running today, found answers via official event coverage.
The Stawell Gift live event once again delivered drama, excitement, and surprises, reinforcing its status as a cornerstone of Australian athletics. For full Stawell Gift 2025 results, check the event website.
For those needing detailed stats or a breakdown of performances, the full Stawell Gift results 2025 are available online. And if you're tackling related coursework or assignments on sports history or performance analysis, you can always turn to Sample Assignment Help platform for expert insights.