Lachie Kennedy has become the second Australian to break the magical 10-second barrier legally after posting a sizzling time of 9.98 seconds over 100 metres in Kenya overnight.
Kennedy became the first Australian athlete since Patrick Johnson in 2003 to stop the clock in a single-digit time, and with a legal wind, in a strong win at the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi, in Kenya.
The 21-year-old’s time of 9.98 seconds (-0.7) bettered his previous personal best of 10.03 seconds, set in March, and continued a stellar run of recent form that included a silver medal in the 60-metre race at the World Indoor Championships, also in March.
Johnson’s record of 9.93 seconds was set in 2003 but in the 22 years since no Australian sprinters have been able to join him in the sub-10 seconds club. Or legally, at least.
Several, including Rohan Browning and Gout Gout, have posted times in the 9-second window but they were not official, given they all had strong tailwinds. But Kennedy’s powerhouse run in Kenya was into a headwind and perfectly legal.
Kennedy’s win in Kenya saw him beat Olympic relay medallis Bayanda Walaza from South Africa, and local Ferdinand Omanyala, and saw him position himself as an emerging contender for the World Championships in September.
Lachlan Kennedy of Australia celebrates after winning the men’s 100m race during the Kip Keino Classic World Athletics Continental Gold Tour event at Ulinzi Sports Complex in Nairobi, Kenya on May 31, 2025.Credit: Anadolu via Getty Images
“I was there to win today and bring it home, and I am super stoked to get the win and the time,” Kennedy told the Athletics Australia website.
“It’s so good. I can finally say I run 9! I haven’t wanted to rush it or put the pressure on myself, I take every race as it comes and I knew it would come eventually.
“I’ve got a good coach (Andrew Iselin), good training partners – shout out to Calab Law, and a good S&C and team around me. It’s been about trusting the process.”
“The crowd was nuts out there. I think there was early movement from someone in the first part of the race, but it actually did me good. It settled the nerves so I was pretty confident out there today,” Kennedy said.
“I didn’t think a 9 was realistic until a couple of years ago. When I was still playing rugby but starting to train and realising I had some speed, I made it the goal.
“I’m getting better with every race. It’s an advantage to have a long season at home. I’m not getting tired, so I’m looking forward to seeing what I can achieve later in the year as we get closer to the World Championships.”
More to come
