Twice as many people as last year came just to see the heats. They came to see one person – the man whose name they chanted as he stood on the blocks.
This was the day Gout Gout came to the Stawell Gift.
Double the crowd – 6000 to last year’s 3000 – came to the small western Victorian town, filling hotel rooms and squeezing into any vantage point they could find in the old grandstands of the football and cricket oval that once a year hosts the country’s richest footrace.
Gout Gout mowed down the field in his heat.Credit: Luke Hemer/Stawell Gift
Gout never lets anyone down. Even if he doesn’t win, he is the show. This day he was the show, and a winner. He won his heat in 12.31 seconds from his one-metre start. It was the twelfth fastest time, but ignore that – he had shut down when he knew he had the 120-metre race won with 10 to 20 metres to go.
He gave a wave and smiled as he crossed the line, and ran an extra 100 metres along the fence, high-fiving kids, and adults as excited as kids, ringing Stawell’s Central Park. He later signed autographs and took selfies with the crowd for about an hour.
Gout flashes his trademark smile.Credit: Luke Hemer/Stawell Gift
Soon after Gout’s run, Lachie Kennedy, the man who ran 10 seconds flat and beat Gout at the Maurie Plant Meet, knew he had his heat won 40 metres from the line and was smiling poking his tongue out in joy. Running from 0.25 metres, Kennedy ran 12.23s, which was the third-fastest time on the day.
“It felt pretty good. I mean, it’s my first time running on a grass track, and it felt pretty much like I was running on a synthetic track,” Gout said.
Fans show their support for Gout Gout at Central Park in Stawell.Credit: Getty Images
“It’s definitely great, just the environment was crazy, and I know it’s going to be even crazier on Monday, so I can’t wait.
“I guess it was a mental game because, like, I love chasing down people. So this is the type of race I love, and this is the type of way I race. I can’t wait to see what I can do in the semis.
“The 120m is literally like one of the perfect distances for me, because the hundreds, obviously, I don’t get that much time to get up to my top speed, but I’ve got that extra 20 metres so it’s definitely great. And I hope I can run down a few more people.”
Gout is still wrapping his head around the celebrity he has quickly become. The 6000 fans squeezed across to one side of the oval to be close to the action.
“It’s definitely great. I mean this is what athletics needs. And I just love all my fans and appreciate everyone who came out – some people come from different states and maybe different countries,” Gout said.
“It still hasn’t fully sunk in yet [being a celebrity] because, you know, I’m still a kid, 17 years old, and high school in grade 12. So, I mean, it is what it is. I just go with it.
“I don’t know how much more I’ve got in me, obviously, [the] one metre [handicap is difficult]. So hopefully I get a good semi and see what I can do.”
If there was not a Gout, Lachie Kennedy would be the star, but he too understands the star power of his friend and rival.
After the strong heat, he’s now confident he can win the gift.
“I come into every race thinking I can win. The mindset has always been to win at the end of the day. So [it’s] definitely good for the confidence,” Kennedy said.
“I’ve got heaps more, heaps more left in the tank. Hopefully we can go even faster in the semi, [and] in the final.
“The best thing about having the good start is, normally, you’re out in front, and it’s about holding on. I think it might actually be beneficial to start behind because you have that chasing mentality, plus having the good start you’d hope is still there.
“I think it’s set up well, for me. I kind of like running with having people to chase.”
We meet again: Lachie Kennedy and Gout Gout embrace at Stawell.Credit: Getty Images
The powerful, fast starter had the runners starting up to 9.75 metres ahead of him covered within short order, and then he had time to just enjoy it and celebrate.
“As soon as I knew I was in front, I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna have some fun with this, running this gift’,” Kennedy said.
“It’s nuts. I mean, seeing it on TV is one thing, but actually being here and hearing it is like a whole different ball game. The atmosphere is incredible. Running right into the crowd is dope. It comes up quick, you’re like kind of hard right [at the fence] but I mean it was… that was very cool.”
Overall, South Australian John Evans ran the fastest heat, clocking 12.13s from his 9.75m handicap. Jasper Thomas from Newcastle ran 12.22s from 6.5m.
In the women’s race, Olympic silver medallist Bree Rizzo looked superb, running 13.91s from scratch as she angles to match her husband Matt Rizzo, who won the gift as an 18-year-old in 2017.
“It would be lovely to etch Rizzo on the plaques on the streets of Stawell again. Obviously, he absolutely loves the Stawell Gift – it’s so important to him and obviously to me by extension,” Bree Rizzo said.
“But it’s going to take a lot to win, and it’s going to take some real focus on Monday.”
Olivia Hastings was the quickest woman, running 13.68m from 2.75m.
The women’s final of the Stawell Gift will be on Monday at 1.45pm AEST. The men’s final will be run at 2.20pm.
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