A diet of KFC and Easter eggs is fuelling Ben Offereins' Stawell Gift campaign.

The 400m star's unusual approach worked in Saturday's heats and Offereins figures there is no need to change in the lead-up to tomorrow's semi-finals and final of Australia's richest footrace.

"I didn't prepare too good for this," Offereins admitted after winning his heat off 4.5m in 12.55sec. "I've been eating chocolate all day and KFC because this is actually my two-week break."

The previous weekend Offereins finished second in the 400m to Sydney teenager Steven Solomon at the national championships at Olympic Park but then begged his coach Lyn Foreman to let him compete at Stawell.

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