Flamboyant John Steffensen will make his debut in the historic Stawell Gift this weekend.

Steffensen finished third in the 400m at the Australian championships on Sunday after wearing a skeleton bodysuit in the heats.

"I can't wait to come down there and give Stawell some of my flavour," said the 2006 Commonwealth Games 400m champion.

"I have always wanted to run at Stawell and came close straight after the Commonwealth Games in 2006, but now the timing is right.

"The 120m is different, perhaps a little too short for me, but still, I'm going to get down there and try and put on a show for the fans."

The field for the Gift also includes newly crowned Australian 100m and 200m champion Aaron Rouge-Serret and former 100m world champion Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis.

The heats will be staged on Saturday and the semis and final on Easter Tuesday.

In other news, Craig Mottram is still expected to contest the two-mile race at Stawell despite withdrawing from the 1500m at the national titles as a precaution after experiencing soreness in his achilles tendon.