Collingwood speedster Beau McCreery is set to defend his title as the AFL's fastest athlete as he takes on a deep field of stars in the 2025 AFL Grand Final sprint - including an Australian Olympian.

The iconic 100m dash across the MCG turf will see seven participants from AFL clubs come up against Olympic medallist and international boxer Harry Garside.

Those players include legendary Giants captain Toby Greene, Swans half-back dasher Nick Blakey, St Kilda livewire Jack Higgins and 2025 Rising Star winner Murphy Reid.

Rapid Tiger Maurice Rioli will look to demonstrate his speed that has seen him lay several chasedown tackles in 2025 as he walks up on the start line while Suns key forward Jed Walter also enters the race as a sneaky chance to pull off a victory.

Emerging superstar Gout Gout, who is fresh off a fourth-place finish in the 200m semifinal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, will fire the starting gun for the event as an often overlooked element of Grand Final day gains serious starpower.

Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney will commentate the race.

2025 Grand Final Half-Time Sprint participants:

Past winners

2002 - Jared Crouch (Syd)
2003 - James Walker (Frem)
2004 - James Walker (Frem)
2005 - Brett Deledio (Rich)
2006 - Brendan Fevola (Carl)
2007 - Jake King (Rich)
2008 - Matthew White (Rich)
2009 - Rhys Stanley (StK)
2010 - Luke Miles (StK)
2011 - Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
2012 - Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
2013 - Patrick Dangerfield (Adel)
2014 - Jordan Murdoch (Geel)
2015 - Majak Daw (NM)
2016 - James Shirley (Murrumbeena Lions)
2017 - Connor Menadue (Rich)
2018 - Godfrey Okereneyang (Coolamon Grasshoppers)
2019 - Ben King (GC)
2020 - Jordan Clark (Geel)
2021 - Josh Rotham (WC)
2022 - Hugo Ralphsmith (Rich)
2023 - Max Holmes (Geel)
2024 - Beau McCreery (Coll)

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