Lachlan Kennedy made history by becoming the first Australian to legally break the 10-second barrier for the 100m on home soil, clocking 9.96 seconds in a heat at the national athletics championships on Friday, according to reports. He previously ran 9.98 seconds at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya last year, sources indicate. Historically, Patrick Johnson is the only other Australian to have run sub-10 seconds legally, with a time of 9.93 seconds in Mito, Japan in 2003, while Rohan Browning and Gout Gout have broken the 10-second mark only with illegal tailwinds, as per athletics records. Kennedy's recent form includes upstaging Gout Gout to claim the 200m at the Maurie Plant Meet a fortnight ago, event organizers noted.
In the men's 100m competition, two-time Olympian and defending national champion Rohan Browning ran 10.24 seconds to reach Saturday's semi-final, according to race results. If Kennedy dethrones Browning in the final, he will clinch a spot for this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, based on selection criteria. Kennedy will also run the 200m in Sydney, continuing his rivalry with Gout Gout, who will not compete for a Glasgow spot in that event, sources say.
In other events, Jessica Hull will compete in the 1500m final on Friday, defending her national title against Claudia Hollingsworth, who held off Georgia Hunter Bell for victory in the 1500m at last month's Maurie Plant Meet, as reported. Hull will also compete in the 800m and 5000m finals this weekend, with a 32-minute break between them on Sunday, according to the event schedule.