Warrnambool's Richard Wearmouth has waited 60 years to finally taste success at the Stawell Gift.
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Wearmouth, who first attended the prestigious event as a child watching his father Dick race, finally broke through in the Legends Masters Series 300-metre final on Monday.
Starting on the frontmarker, Wearmouth pushed through the pain to hold his rivals at bay on the final straight.
"I've been coming here a long time and never won a sash," Wearmouth told The Standard post-race. "And it's only my fourth final I've been in so I'm stoked. To win one is just incredible, I didn't think it would happen. I nearly had to kill myself to win. The finish line couldn't come quick enough."
The 70-year-old's win is all the more remarkable considering he suffered a heart attack 18 months ago, while two bouts of pneumonia prior to that also knocked him around.
Wearmouth, who grew up in Terang and is the current president of the Warrnambool Gift, credited the support of partner Gill Hayden for his ability to keep racing as his 71st birthday nears.
"I run every week and my partner Gill massages me, looks after me in that way," he said. "I'm sure that's one reason I can still keep going at my age."
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Meg Saultry
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
Sports journalist at the Warrnambool Standard, with a strong interest in Australian rules football, basketball and women in sport.
