Komolafe Wins Stawell Gift, First from Broken Hill

0:00It's April 9th. You're listening to Sydney News today, AI-powered local news. Olufemi Kamalafe, a 21-year-old medical student, just crossed the finish line first in the 2026 Stauwell Gift Men's Final. That's Australia's oldest and richest sprint race, a handicap to 120 meter dash of a hill in Western Victoria. Born in remote broken hill, he's only the second winner from that outback town, smashing his personal best at 12.03 seconds with A, 5 meter head start. From soccer fields in Broken Hill to sprint tracks in Adelaide, Kamalafe's path wasn't straight. His Nigerian-born doctor parents moved there in 2002, and he grew up kicking balls until school races sparked his speed. By high school graduation, he did soccer for serious sprinting, linking up with coach Paul Young, who won the gift himself back in 19, 85, right around October 2021. Balancing med school grind with track demands tested him hard, especially shin splints in

1:01a hamstring tweak leading up to Easter. Still, his hometown coach turned, mayor remembers him as a natural from youth carnivals, always outpacing the pack. What pushed him through? Learning his idol, world record sprinter, Christian Coleman was racing there, though Coleman scratched out in semis from the zero handicap mark. Kamalafe's victory marks history as the first South Australian win under a 6 meter handicap, and his coach calls it pure talent unleashed. Broken Hill's buzzing, talking civic reception since the last local champ back in 1949. Kamalafe's eye nationals next in the 100 and 200 meter dashes, dreaming of Australian relays, world meets, even Olympics, wow. Chasing that medical degree, just like mom and dad.