Veteran Victorian sprinter Edward Ware has finally won the Stawell Gift a decade after finishing second.
Three-time finalist Ware, who turns 33 next month, clocked a winning time of 12.19 seconds off a handicap of 9.75 metres in Monday’s 120m final at Central Park in Stawell.
Sebastian Baird (8m) was second and Munashe Hove (6m) was third after false starting and being penalised one metre.
Ware pocketed a winner’s cheque of $40,000.
South Australian Hayley Orman (9.75m) won the women’s Gift in 13.88.
Star middle-distance runner Stewart McSweyn stormed home to finish fourth in the 3200m invitational race.
Running off scratch, McSweyn – the Australian record holder over 1500m and 3000m – reeled in most of the 13-strong field.
But his training partner Tom Thorpe (200m) held on for the win, with the fast-finishing McSweyn approximately 30 metres behind.