Cole unsuccessfully appealed against his Gift mark set by the Victorian Athletic League, and will start the race with a six metre handicap.

He said with $40,000 going to the winner, the race often came down to a matter of centimetres.

Cole’s toughest competition is expected to come from 2003 world 100m champion Kim Collins, of the Caribbean. While Australian 100m and 200m champion Aaron Rouge-Serret, 400m showman John Steffensen, and Australian distance star Craig Mottram will also join the event.

On the women's side, Australian 100m silver medallist Melissa Breen will take on the men in the Gift in an attempt to become the first female to make a Gift semi final at Stawell.

Breen will be joined by training partner and Australian 400m hurdles champion Lauren Boden, and Stawell perennial Tamsyn Lewis, who will be making her 18th journey to Central Park.

The 130th edition of the Australia Post Stawell Gift carnival will be staged during the Easter long weekend from Friday, 22 April to Tuesday, 26 April, 2011.