Rizzo takes on coach in Stawell Gift semis

Sunday, 1 April 2018:

Reigning Stawell Gift champion Matthew Rizzo will have his coach breathing down his neck when he lines up for the the semi-finals of the iconic race on Monday.

Rizzo qualified on Saturday, winning his heat as he aims to become only the second back-to-back winner of the Gift, which is run over 120 metres.

The 19-year-old ran the second fastest heat time of 12.29 seconds - bettered only by Gift favourite Jacob Despard's 12.21.

But bizarrely, Rizzo's coach Matt Carter looms as a big obstacle with the winner of each of the six semi-finals at Central Park in the country Victorian town of Stawell moving into the final.

The pair will line up in the sixth and last semi, with Carter starting off the back mark of four metres, giving his young prodigy a 0.5m start and in a perfect position to give him some last-minute tips.

Carter finished second in his heat in a time of 12.46.

Rizzo is looking to emulate the feat of the legendary Bill Howard, who won the Stawell Gift in 1966 and 1967.

Rizzo, from Langwarrin in Melbourne, should have have Carter's measure, but having his coach on his left shoulder on the blocks will likely add to his nerves.

Since winning his heat, he's admitted that he has been feeling the pressure of being the defending champion.

Outside Carter, heat winner Conor Loughnan (7m) looms as Rizzo's main danger in the semi-final.

Despard (4.5m) has drawn the fifth semi-final and on heat times appears to have his rivals covered.

However, he does meet Gift backmarker and America's Olympic 110m hurdle finalist Devon Allen (1m) in what has the potential to be an intriguing battle.

In the women's section, fastest heat winner Kiara Reddingius (5.5m) clashes with promising Geelong youngster Mia Goss (1.75m) and early favourite Elizabeth Forsyth (7m) in the six and last semi-final.

Reddinguis clocked 14.067 seconds in her heat and Goss 14.208, while Forsyth as a little off the pace at 14.277.

Three past winners, all from Ballarat, line up in semi-finals - Grace O'Dwyer, Talia Martin and Holly Dobbyn.

The six Stawell Gift semi-finals on Monday will be run from 12.23pm, with each winner to progress to the final at 2.20pm.

The Stawell Women's Gift semi-finals start at 11.50am, with the six winners lining up in the final at 1.50pm.






AAP