Kennedy's time of 9.96 seconds in the first heat at the national championships follows his previous personal best of 9.98 seconds set at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya last year. 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 mark only with illegal tailwinds. Kennedy recently upstaged Gout Gout to claim the 200m title at the Maurie Plant Meet a fortnight ago.
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. If Kennedy dethrones Browning in the final, he will clinch a spot for this year's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Kennedy will also run the 200m in Sydney, continuing his rivalry with Gout Gout, though Gout Gout won't compete for a Glasgow spot.
In women's events, Jessica Hull will compete in the 1500m final later on Friday, defending her national title against rising star Claudia Hollingsworth. Hull, the Paris Olympics 1500m silver medallist, will also look to win the 800m and 5000m this weekend, with just a 32-minute break between the two finals on Sunday. Hollingsworth, 20, held off British middle-distance heavyweight Georgia Hunter Bell for victory in the 1500m at last month's Maurie Plant Meet.