A Historic Achievement in Australian Sprinting
Lachlan Kennedy made history at Sydney Olympic Park on Friday night, becoming the first Australian to break the iconic 10-second barrier in the 100 metres under legal wind conditions on home soil. The 22-year-old sprinter stopped the clock at 9.96 seconds during the heats of the Australian athletics championships. This achievement marks a significant milestone in Australian track and field.
After his run, Kennedy expressed his determination to challenge Patrick Johnson’s long-standing national record of 9.93 seconds on Saturday. He emphasized that he is focused on making this performance a regular occurrence. “Doing it once is good, but doing it twice — I want to make a pattern of it,” he said. His confidence is evident as he aims to establish himself as a consistent top performer in the sport.
The conditions during Kennedy’s race were ideal. He had a tailwind of +0.2 metres per second, well within the allowed +2.0m/s limit. The temperature was also favorable, with a balmy 29 degrees, which contributed to his smooth performance. “It just felt easy, so I think I’ve got a bit more in the tank,” Kennedy remarked. He described the experience as one of the most exciting moments in his career, highlighting the honor of being the first to achieve this feat.
Kennedy’s previous best time in legal wind conditions was 9.98 seconds, set in Kenya in May last year. This makes him only the second Australian to crack the 10-second mark under such conditions. Before Friday, the fastest any Australian had run on home soil legally was 10 seconds flat. Kennedy achieved this in Perth last year, while teen phenom Gout Gout did it in Brisbane this year.
Other notable sprinters like Olympic semi-finalist Rohan Browning (9.96) and Gout (9.99 twice) have dipped under the 10-second mark in Australia, but under illegal wind conditions. Kennedy’s achievement is therefore even more impressive given the legal constraints.
Patrick Johnson’s record of 9.93 seconds, set in Japan in 2003 with a +1.8m/s wind, remains a benchmark for Australian sprinters. However, Kennedy and his coach, Andrew Iselin, believe he has the potential to run in the 9.8s this weekend if the conditions are right. “I don’t like to put a ceiling on what I can do, but I think I’ll definitely, hopefully, try and break that Aussie record tomorrow,” Kennedy said.
Despite his ambitions, Kennedy’s primary goal is to win the national championship. “I’m here to win that national final, I’m here to get my first national champ,” he stated. He plans to save his best performance for the final, which is scheduled for 8.37pm on Saturday.
The competition will be tough, with Rohan Browning and Josh Azzopardi (10.09) posing the biggest threats. However, Kennedy is the favorite to take the title. Gout, who is competing in the 200m this weekend, will likely face Kennedy in the 200m final on Sunday, following their recent showdown at Melbourne’s Maurie Plant.
Kennedy’s performance on Friday night not only sets a new standard for Australian sprinting but also highlights the potential for future achievements in the sport. With his determination and talent, he is poised to make a lasting impact on the track.
