A New Star Emerges in Australian Sprinting
Australian sprinting is witnessing a new era, with Eddie Osei-Nketia making waves on the international stage. The 24-year-old athlete recently clocked an impressive 9.84 seconds in the 100m at the Mt SAC Relays in California. This time, although not recognized as an official national record due to a +2.8m/s tailwind, has set a new benchmark for Australian sprinters under any conditions.
This remarkable performance surpassed the previous all-conditions best of 9.88, set by Patrick Johnson in 2003. It also outpaced the official record of 9.93 held by Johnson. Nketia’s time was just behind American sprinter Jelani Watkins, who ran 9.82, and four other athletes managed to break the 10-second barrier in a highly competitive field.
Before his breakthrough in track and field, Nketia had aspirations of playing American football. He moved to the United States to explore this path, which exposed him to elite college-level training environments. This experience helped hone his speed, leading to a full return to athletics that has now delivered the fastest time ever run by an Australian in any conditions.
Nketia’s rise has placed him among the emerging stars of Australian sprinting, including Gout Gout and Lachie Kennedy, who have been dominating headlines recently. Commentators have noted the exciting developments in the sport, with one observer stating, “What an era of sprinting.”
A Unique Journey
Nketia’s journey has been anything but conventional. Prior to his current success, he represented New Zealand and was one of the country’s top sprinters. He won the Oceania 100m title in 2019 and broke the national record with a time of 10.08 seconds. This mark had been held for nearly three decades by his father, Augustine Nketia.
“I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy road since everyone in New Zealand wanted to break your national record,” Nketia reflected. “There were times I wanted to quit, but deep down we all know you and I would’ve been disappointed that it wasn’t me who broke the record like you wanted me to.”
His perseverance paid off, and he expressed gratitude for his father’s record, which gave him the motivation to break it and keep it within the Nketia family.
After spending much of his youth in Australia, Nketia officially switched allegiance in late 2025 and is now competing in the United States collegiate system for the University of Southern California. His move overseas has coincided with a sharp rise in performance, culminating in his breakthrough run in California.
A Growing Surge in Australian Sprinting
Nketia’s emergence adds to a growing surge in Australian sprinting. Lachie Kennedy recently ran 9.96 to record the fastest time ever on Australian soil, while Gout has run 10.00 officially and 9.99 with assistance. Gout has also broken the 20-second barrier over 200m with a 19.67 performance.
Nketia has already been named in Australia’s 4x100m relay squad for the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Botswana, marking his first major international assignment since switching nations. He will enter that competition as the fastest Australian ever in all conditions, even if the official record remains unchanged.
“My goal with Australia is to break both the 100m and 200m record and also help the relay team to not just make the finals, but also to earn a medal on the big stage,” Nketia said. “Not just LA, the Commonwealth Games, world championships and the world relays, any chance we get.”
