Rizzo chases Gift history

MATT Rizzo’s decision to shun the national athletics championships on the Gold Coast last month in search of successive Stawell Gift crowns will be tested today.

No man has claimed consecutive victories in Australia’s richest footrace since Bill Howard in 1966-67, but Rizzo, 19, hopes his strategy will pay off after posting the secondfastest time in Saturday’s heats.

Rizzo is comfortable with his handicap of 4.5m after winning last year off 7.5m.