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Handicapping controversy at the 2025 Stawell Gift denies sprint stars Gout Gout and Lachlan Kennedy a fair shot.
Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout was supposed to be the headline act at this year’s Stawell Gift.
Instead, fans were left bitterly disappointed after a controversial handicapping decision saw both Gout and fellow sprint star Lachlan Kennedy eliminated in the semi-finals, never truly in contention for the richest foot race in the country.
Despite a $50,000 appearance fee paid by local businessman Sandy McGregor to bring the teenage phenom to Central Park.
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Harsh handicaps combined with grim weather conditions left the nation’s two fastest men with little chance of even reaching the final, let alone winning.
“He’s not Superman just yet. (Gout) needed to be given some sort of realistic chance,” a frustrated fan wrote on X after Gout was bundled out of the competition.
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Gout started off a 1m handicap, while Kennedy had an even tougher task off just 0.25m—far behind rivals gave several meters' head start.
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The final was ultimately won by John Evans, 28, who stormed home from a generous 9.75m handicap in a blistering 11.94 seconds.
Evans, a seasoned campaigner in his sixth attempt at the Gift, admitted the mark played a pivotal role in his success.
“I knew it was a good handicap. I knew I could work something off that, and I just really had to train hard, push hard, see what I could do from it,” Evans said post-race.
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The disparity in handicaps reignited criticism over the Victorian Athletic League’s (VAL) allocation system, which many argue continues to favor less accomplished runners while penalizing those who’ve proven themselves at elite levels.
“Outstanding work to handicap your biggest drawcard out of the final … So smart,” Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould posted sarcastically.
The backlash reflects a growing discontent with how the iconic race balances fairness with spectacle.
Ideally, all competitors should hit the finish line simultaneously, but critics argue that the current system is being gamed—whether through strategic underperformance in lead-up races or inconsistencies in how handicaps are assigned.
“It clearly wasn’t the fastest guy who won—it was someone with the best head start,” another fan complained online.
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The Stawell Gift, first run in 1878, has always been unique for its handicapping format, where runners of all speeds compete on a theoretically level playing field.
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