 Talia Martin racing at the Terang Gift 2023 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Australian |
| Born | 4 December 2000 Ballarat, Australia |
| Sport | |
| Country |  Australia |
| Sport | Sprint (handicapped) |
| Event | 120 metres |
| Club | POD Squad [1] |
| Coached by | Anthony Martin Daniel Martin Peter O'Dwyer [2] |
Talia Martin (born 4 December 2000) is an Australian athlete, known best as a sprinter. She won the 2016 Stawell Gift becoming the youngest ever female to do so at the age of 15. [3]
In 2016, Talia Martin made history by winning the Australia Post 120 m (390 ft) Stawell Women's Gift at just 15 years old, becoming the youngest female ever to win the prestigious race. She took home the impressive prize of $40,000 AUD [4] after triumphing in a thrilling race from a 13 m (43 ft) handicap, crossing the finish line in 13.69 seconds to secure a narrow victory over Tierra Exum, the sister of NBA star Dante Exum. [5]
In 2017, Martin also won the Women's 300 m (980 ft) race at the Geelong Gift off a 16 m (52 ft) handicap. [6]
Throughout 2018 to 2020, Martin remained committed to sprinting, although she struggled to advance to finals during this period. At the conclusion of the 2019/2020 Victorian Athletic League season, Martin decided to step away from the sport. [7]
Martin never lost her passion for the sport. In the 2023/2024 Victorian Athletic League season, she made a notable return to competitive racing. Throughout the season, Martin demonstrated her determination and skill by qualifying for an impressive five finals including a second-place finish in the Women's 400 m (1310 ft) 2023 Mortlake Gift. [7] [8]
After Martin's 2016 Stawell Gift win, she was fined $2000 AUD for inconsistent running. Stewards issued the penalty due to her improvement of 7 m (23 ft) from a race held in the Victorian town of Ararat just twelve days prior. [9]
| Race | Month | Distance | Handicap (metres) | Adjusted time (seconds) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryborough | January | 120m | 11.50 | 14.666 |
| Ballarat | February | 120m | 11.50 | 14.280 |
| Ararat | March | 120m (under 20s) | 22 | 13.412 |
| Stawell | March | 120m | 13 | 13.696 |
Martin's Coach, Peter O'Dwyer explained that Martin's underperformance in Ararat was a result of a family bereavement. "She showed improvement from Ararat, but there were various challenges leading up to the race," he stated. "Her aunt, who was like a grandmother to her, had passed away that week, and she had just attended the funeral, understandably feeling very upset." He refuted any claims that Martin had been involved in a scheme to intentionally lose a race in order to avoid a more significant handicap. [10]
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