Olympian Bree Rizzo ‘speechless’ after surprise win at Stawell Gift

Australian Olympian Bree Rizzo has surged back from a challenging period to claim victory in the women’s Stawell Gift.

Australian Olympian Bree Rizzo has surged back from a challenging period in her career to claim victory in the 2025 Stawell Gift women’s event.

Rizzo completed the 120-metre race in 13.52 seconds, narrowly edging out Chiara Santiglia, who finished in 13.55 seconds, and Jemma Stapleton, who secured third place with a time of 13.66 seconds.

Rizzo’s triumph is particularly noteworthy as she becomes only the second woman to win the prestigious race from scratch, following Melissa Breen’s achievement in 2012.

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She ran up and embraced her husband Matt Rizzo, who won the men’s Stawell Gift in 2017, before admitting to the media she “never imagined” she’d be in this position.

“I don’t know how to put that into words. It is a historic race,” she told Channel Seven after the race.

“To win it off scratch, I never imagined that. My first race was off four metres and I got third. I am actually speechless.

Bree Rizzo runs in the women's final. (Photo by Maya Thompson/Getty Images)

“I wanted to retire at 23 and I am 30 this year and I am doing incredible things.

“I guess it is the way the story was meant to go. Matt (husband) is a big part of that.

“I am grateful to be here.”

Rizzo’s journey to victory has been rocky.

A year prior, she faced a massive setback when illness struck just before the finals of the Australian Athletics Championships, jeopardising her Olympic aspirations in Paris.

Despite feeling “absolutely horrible”, Rizzo competed and finished fifth, missing the top-three placement required for Olympic qualification.

“There wasn’t one moment where I was going to pull out, I just thought I can do this whether I’m sick or not. I knew qualification was dependent on that,” she told Nine Newspapers.

Illness impacted her Olympic aspirations in Paris. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

Rizzo celebrates after winning the women's 120m Stawell Gift. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

“I needed to come top three and I came fifth. I felt so depleted, I felt like I was in a dream where you’re trying to run away from someone but you literally can’t run.

“I had nothing left in me, and I just sat on the sidelines and tried to hold back my tears. That’s when I thought to myself ‘it’s over’.”

While Rizzo and her husband say they are planning to start a family, she says she remains committed to her athletic career and is inspired by other female athletes who have returned to competition post-motherhood.

“I’ve seen all these incredible females in Australia going away and having a family. I’m intrigued as to see what these superpowers are that women are claiming,” she said.

“You see Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – I can’t compare myself to that kind of calibre – but she’s come back even faster after having a child, as have so many other women.

“I’ve still got that drive, and going away to Paris and achieving what I did really just lit the flame even more.”

Originally published as Olympian Bree Rizzo ‘speechless’ after surprise win at Stawell Gift