“Still speechless ✨.I’ve etched myself into the history books this Easter Monday with one of the best runs of my career to date!!” This is what Bree Rizzo had to say after her iconic run in the Stawell Gift in April 2025. The track and field star started from the last and went past every single runner on the track to clinch her hands on the trophy. She made history by winning the prestigious Stawell Gift off scratch—a feat only one other woman had ever achieved. But this was not all!

Running the 120m handicap race without any head start, she stormed down the track in 13.52 seconds, overtaking competitors who had up to a 10.5-meter advantage. Interestingly, her husband, Matt Rizzo, had won the men’s Stawell Gift in 2017, making them the first couple to both claim titles at this event. Though she has just shocked the world with her victory. Now she has once again shocked the world by defeating Sha’carri Richardson.

This week, all eyes were on the reigning 100m world champion to dominate the field and set the tone for the season ahead. But when the gun went off, it wasn’t Richardson on line first—it was Bree Rizzo. Bree stole the spotlight with an 11.38-second finish. And for Sha’Carri? Well, Richardson settled for fourth at 11.47 seconds.

Back in 2021, Tokyo was supposed to be Sha’Carri Richardson’s breakout Olympic moment—but it never happened. After dominating the U.S. Olympic Trials in June 2021 with a stunning 10.86-second victory in the 100m final, she was hailed as America’s top medal hope. But just weeks before the Tokyo Games, Richardson tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana, during a post-race drug screening. The result led to a 30-day suspension that disqualified her from competing in the 100m in Tokyo. Coming back to the city for the Seiko Golden Grand Prix would have been her redemption arc. But fate had other plans.

The Aussie star took home all the cheers. Bree might have defeated one of the Goats of the track, but she was not always the track and field athlete you see today. Born on June 24, 1995, in Hurstville, New South Wales, she began her athletic journey in Little Athletics at age six and initially pursued a dance career. Then, from dance, she transitioned into beach sprinting. At 13, she became the youngest female to win an Australian beach sprint title. Her accolades include Youth Beach Sprint and Flag Champion in 2012, Open Female Beach Sprint World Champion in 2016, and Open Female Australian Beach Sprint Champion in 2019.

Bree competed for the Australian Lifesaving Team as well, a prestigious selection for the country’s best surf sports athletes. She was part of the team that won gold at international competitions and dominated in events like the World Games and Rescue Series. She clinched the gold medal in the Women’s Beach Sprint and secured a silver medal in the Beach Flags event during the 2016 Rescue World Championships in the Netherlands. In 2019, she made the transition to track. Her first 100m race after an eight-year hiatus resulted in an impressive 11.63 seconds, signaling her potential on the track.

Bree Rizzo in the fast lane

Under coach Ryan Hoffman, Rizzo quickly ascended in Australian athletics. At the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, she ran 11.29 seconds in the 100m heats but did not advance. She secured silver medals in the 100m at the 2021 and 2022 Australian Track and Field Championships and represented Australia at major international events, including the 2022 World Championships and Commonwealth Games. At the Commonwealth Games, she reached the 100m semi-finals and contributed to the 4x100m relay team, which was later awarded bronze.

In 2023, Rizzo set a high of 11.23 seconds in the 100m and continued to compete at a high level, participating in the 2023 World Championships. This was only to break it later with a personal best of 11.09s at the 2025 Perth Track Classic, held on 1 March at WA Athletics Stadium. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Bree Rizzo (née Masters) made history by becoming the first Australian woman in 24 years to reach the Olympic 100m semi-finals, clocking 11.26 seconds in her heat and 11.34 seconds in the semi-final. She also anchored Australia’s women’s 4x100m relay team, which posted a time of 42.75 seconds in the heats but did not advance to the final.