Newcastle student Joshua Ross has dedicated his victory in the Stawell Gift to his late coach Gerry Thomas, who died suddenly two years ago.

Ross, who was such an overwhelming favourite bookmakers refused to take bets on him for the final after dominating the weekend heats, clocked 11.92s to win the classic sprint off the seven-metre handicap by three metres.

An emotional Ross, a 22-year-old Newcastle University student, praised Thomas who three years ago predicted he would win Australia's richest professional sprint race.

"I loved Gerry and I'll never forget him," Ross said.

In one of the strongest international fields in the 126-year history of the event, four overseas runners made the final of six starters.

Nigerian Idika Uduma (5.5m) went one better than last year's third-placed result, finishing runner-up.

Sydney Olympic 200m finalist Christian Malcolm of Wales placed third off one metre - fractionally ahead of American Greg Saddler (1.25m).

Victorian Chris Tuohy (8.5m) was fifth, with Jason Hunte (5m) of Barbados sixth.

After Thomas's death, Ross moved from his home near Gosford to be with his girlfriend Susan Sinclair at Newcastle.

There Sinclair introduced Ross to his current coach Tony Fairweather, who guided Ross to victory in the Arthur Postle 70m sprint here last year before his Stawell triumph.

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