It is an historic day in Australian professional athletics with the Stawell Women's Gift for the first time carrying the same prizemoney as the Stawell Gift.
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QUEENSLANDER Murray Goodwin is the 2015 Stawell Gift champion.
He left his rival in his wake as he clocked 12.10 seconds.
Luke Houlihan rallied after slipping early to get second.
The 28yo is coached by former Stawell Gift finalist Brett Robinson.
Goodwin said Robinson had been "so motivational".
"He kept me on track..kept me relaxed."
How they finished...
1 – Murray Goodwin 6.5m - 12.10s
2 - Luke Houlihan 7.25m
3 - Yellow – Brendan Matthews 6.75m
4 - Dean Scarff 5.5m
5 - Tjimarri Sanderson 7m
6 - Tim Eschebach 6.75m
BALLARAT teenager Grace O'Dwyer wins the richest Stawell Women's Gift - pocketing a cool $40,000.
O'Dwyer is speechless, breaking down in the arms her parents Peter and Barb, and surrounded by POD Squad teammates.
How they finished..
1 Grace O'Dwyer 10.25m - 13.40 seconds
2 Anna Pasquali 13.75m
3 Lynette Viney 9.75m
4 Cailtin Hawks 12m
5 Keely Henderson 14m
6 Sarah Blizzard 9.5m
BALLARAT'S Liam Proccacino complete a Bendigo-Stawell feature double.
He adds the Stawell 20m to the Bendigo Black Opal 400m.
JACK Hale did not make the Stawell Gift final, but what did he have to say about his semi-final experience.
"I thought it'd be a bit easier for me (in the rain), being from Hobart.
"I felt really good. I'm really happy with it."
With regard to his 2.25m mark, Hale said had to be positive.
""My goal was always to make the final. I tried, but didn't get it.
"I'll be in the backmarkers' 120m instead so I still get to run in front of the crowd again.
"I'm extremely happy with my first Stawell."
STAWELL GIFT 120M LINE-UP - tightly bunched on handicaps - 2.45pm
Red – Dean Scarff 5.5m
White – Murray Goodwin 6.5m
Blue – Tim Eschebach 6.75m
Yellow – Brendan Matthews 6.75m
Green – Tjimarri Sanderson 7m
Pink – Luke Houlihan 7.25m
STAWELL WOMEN'S GIFT 120M LINE-UP - 2.14pm
Red – Sarah Blizzard 9.5m
White – Lynette Viney 9.75m
Blue – Grace O’Dwyer 10.25m
Yellow – Cailtin Hawks 12m
Green – Keely Henderson 13.75m
Pink – Anna Pasquali 14m
Ballarat's Keely Shillito gets up right on the line to win the little athletics 400m. She's trained by Peter O'Dwyer and hit the lead right on the line.
Ballarat veteran Peter O'Dwyer unable to emulate his daughter Grace and reach a gift final this year as he limps home at the back of the fifth semi-final behind Gift favourite Murray Goodwin.
Gift semi-final 6- Luke Houlihan 7.25m 1, Ryan Bedford 4.5m 2. Time: 12.02s
Gift semi-final 5 - Murray Goodwin 6.5m 1, Jacob Despard 4.25m 2. Time: 12.07s
Gift semi-final 4 - 1. Brendon Matthews 6.75m 2. Cam Dunbar 8.75m. Time: 12.29s
Gift semi-final 3 - 1. Dean Scarff 5.5m 2, Stuart Rooke 9m. Time: 12.33s. Big run by Jack Hale to get as close as he did from so far back.
Backmarkers finding it tough going on the rain-affects track.
Jack Hale has the job in front of him off 2.25m in the next semi-final.
Gift semi-final 2 - Tjimarri Sanderson 7m 1, Isaac Dunmall 5.25m 2. Time: 12.36s
Gift semi-fnal 1 - Tim Eschebach 6.75m 1, Liam Shepherd 8m. Time: 12.34s
Great news for Ballarat teenager Grace O'Dwyer and Ararat's Sarah Blizzard.
In with a show of earning a record $40,00 prize cheque.
Women's gift semi-final 4 - Anna Pasquali 1, Lauren Wells 2. Time 13.56s
Women's gift semi-final 3 - Lynette Viney 1, Sarah Blizzard 2. Time: 13.54s Tara Domaschenz (Ballarat) well off the pace.
Ballarat's Grace O'Dwyer just comes up short in second semi-final. It's all about time now for her.
Women's gift semi-final 2 - Cailtin Hawks 1, Grace O'Dwyer 2. Time: 13.70s
Women's gift semi-final 1 - Keely Henderson 1. Melanie Purkiss 2. Time: 13.85s
All semi winners into the final with two fastest runners-up.
Shattering for Ballarat's Cleo Anderson - stumbling and falling about 10m from the finish in the first Stawell Gift women's semi-final.
She was working hard and on the verge of hitting the lead when she fell.
It's wet day at Central Park - umbrellas galore.
Here is how the semi-finals for each gift will line up.
STAWELL GIFT
FIRST SEMI-FINAL 12.40pm
Red - Jordan CALDOW 1.75 metres
White - Will JOHNS 5
Blue - James WOODGATE 6.25
Yellow - Tim ESCHEBACH 6.75
Green - Nicholas REPALUST 7
Pink - Liam SHEPHERD 8
Black - Nathan MCNAB 9
SECOND SEMI-FINAL 12.45pm
Red - Matt CARTER 2
White - Isaac DUNMALL 5.25
Blue - Bryce TEO 6.25
Yellow - Kevin BRITTAIN 7
Green - Tjimarri SANDERSON 7
Pink - Andrew BOUDRIE 7.25
Black - Bikramjeet SINGH 9.5
THIRD SEMI-FINAL 12.50pm
Red - Jack HALE 2.25
White - Dean SCARFF 5.5
Blue - Jack NEWMAN 6.5
Yellow - Paul TANCREDI 7.25
Green - Dylan PANIZZA 7.75
Pink - Stuart ROOKE 9
Black - Dale LYONS 9.75
FOURTH SEMI-FINAL 1.00pm
Red - Luke STEVENS 2.5
White - Brendon GALIC 5.75
Blue - Conor LOUGHNAN 6.75
Yellow - Brendon MATTHEWS 6.75
Green - Edward WARE 8.25
Pink - Cam DUNBAR 8.75
Black - Jarrad DARTNALL 10
FIFTH SEMI-FINAL 1.05pm
Red - Jacob DESPARD 4.25
White - Darcy ROPER 5.75
Blue - Murray GOODWIN 6.5
Yellow - Ryan MCNAMARA 6.75
Green - Daniel STEINHAUSER 8.5
Pink - Peter O’DWYER 10
Black - Dean DOBRIC 10
SIXTH SEMI-FINAL 1.10pm
Red - Ryan BEDFORD 4.5
White - Cory INNES 6
Blue - Jack D’ARCY 7
Yellow - Luke HOULIHAN 7.25
Green - Max PUNCHIHEWA 8
Pink - Tom PAAVOLA 8.5
Black - Matthew HARVEY 10
Grey - Leigh PHELAN 10
WOMEN’S GIFT
FIRST SEMI-FINAL 12.21pm
Red - Melissa BREEN scr
White - Morgan MITCHELL 5.5 metres
Blue - Melanie PURKISS 10.25
Yellow - Natasha HUGHES 10.5
Green - Sophia POWER 11
Pink - Cleo ANDERSON 12.5
Black - Keely HENDERSON
SECOND SEMI-FINAL 12.25pm
Red - Ella NELSON 2.75
White - Tara HAWKING 7
Blue - Grace O’DWYER 10.25
Yellow - Tori WEST 11
Green - Caitlin HAWKS 12
Pink - Hayley OPENSHAW 12.5
Black - Rosamond GILDEN 14
THIRD SEMI-FINAL 12.29pm
Red - Elly GRAF 3.75
White - Tara DOMASCHENZ 7
Blue - Sarah BLIZZARD 9.5
Yellow - Lynette VINEY 9.75
Green - Genevieve BROOKS 12
Pink - Kirsty STEVENS 12.5
Black - Angela PHILLIPS 14
FOURTH SEMI-FINAL 12.33pm
Red - Lauren WELLS 5.25m
White - Olivia FIEN 10.5m
Blue - Tierra EXUM 12
Yellow - Kelly MCDONNELL 12.5
Green - Cara BOUSTEAD 13.25
Pink - Stephanie JINKS 14
Black - Anna PASQUALI 14
