Talia Martin

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.

Athletics
In 2016, Talia Martin made history by winning the Australia Post 120 m 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 after triumphing in a thrilling race from a 13 m handicap, crossing the finish line in 13.69 seconds to secure a narrow victory over Tierra Exum, the sister of NBA star Dante Exum.

In 2017, Martin also won the Women's 300 m race at the Geelong Gift off a 16 m handicap.

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.

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.

Controversy
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 from a race held in the Victorian town of Ararat just twelve days prior. 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.