The sun-scorched streets of Leonora once again played host to some of the country’s finest middle-distance talent, as the 2025 Leonora Golden Gift reached its climax with thrilling Elite Mile finals on Sunday.
In the women’s final, rising star Zoe Melhuish delivered a blistering performance, crossing the line in 4:42.79 to claim victory. Melhuish, who clocked 5:03.09 in the prelims, timed her run to perfection in the final, holding off Stephanie Kelly (4:45.93) and experienced campaigner Georgia Winkcup (4:46.99) in a tactical and fast-finishing race.
Rebekah Newton (4:50.43) and Hannah Doyle (4:54.16) rounded out the top five, with strong efforts across the board in a race showcasing depth and emerging talent.
In the men’s elite mile, Olympian and crowd favourite Peter Bol reminded everyone of his class, powering away in the closing stages to win in 4:06.20—a solid time given the heat and tactical nature of the race. Bol led home a quality field, with Adam Goddard taking second in 4:07.87 and Matthew Ramsden rounding out the podium in 4:08.36, just edging out New Zealand’s Brad Mathas (4:08.79) in a photo finish for third.
The annual outback spectacle once again proved its place as a truly unique and elite event on the Australian running calendar, with $12,500 going to each of the winners and a field that included Olympians and national champions.
With its mix of street racing, atmosphere, and serious prize money, the Golden Gift continues to cement itself as a must-watch and must-race event for Australia’s top middle-distance athletes.
