Lachlan Kennedy has claimed his first national title in emphatic style, equaling his personal best in the best series of male 100m running ever seen at the Australian Championships.
Kennedy backed up the 9.96 he clocked in yesterday’s heats in the cooler Saturday conditions, running the same time in the final with the aid of a 0.5 m/s tailwind. Earlier, in the semi-finals, he clocked 10.05s (+0.6).
“It’s the standard I’ve set now, so hopefully I can go a bit quicker next time and see where it takes me,” Kennedy said.
“It’s a bit of a relief to be honest to win it in front of such an awesome crowd. It’s a big relief to say I finally did it.
“To back it up after the semi with that time, knowing I still have a bit to work on, I think the sky is the limit.”
Josh Azzopardi was took silver in 10.16s, running over the top of last year’s champion, Rohan Browning, who started well and won bronze in 10.19s.
Cameron Myers completed the 1500m/5000m double in a personal best of 13:11.66 defeating last year’s winner Seth O’Donnell who was valiant in 13:12.42 and held on to silver by one-hundredth-of-a-second in a return-to-form run by Morgan McDonald.
“Coming here my focus was on the 1500m so this is just a bonus,” Myers said.
“I like the pressure. I feel like pressure creates diamonds and it gives me something to strive for. You either rise up or you melt down and I like that pressure, it’s good for me.”
Olympic champion Nina Kennedy took out the pole vault off a three-quarter run, clearing 4.65m to claim her fifth national title.
Despite missing three attempts at an equal meet record of 4.75m, Kennedy was pleased with the result.
“I’m happy with how I jumped. I got the win pretty comfortably out there, so there is no need to push the body,” Kennedy said.
“I’m so excited! Year after year it can get tiring after so long but having the whole year of 2025 off and not getting on a plane, I really miss it.”
Reece Holder claimed his maiden national title, with a strong first 300m opening up too much of a gap on the field to be reeled in. Holder clocked 45.12 seconds ahead of a characteristically fast finishing Luke Van Ratingen (45.25s), with Thomas Reynolds claiming bronze from the outside lane in 45.69s.
In the women’s race the fastest heat winner, Jemma Pollard, did not start in the final, leaving Ellie Beer to tussle with Mia Gross. Beer claimed her fourth national crown in a season’s best of 52.13s, with Gross holding on for second in 52.71 from fellow Victorian Alexia Loizou (52.80s).
World University Games champion Georgia Harris took out the most wide-open women’s 100m contest in recent years, clocking 11.52 seconds (-0.4 m/s) to beat home Chloe Mannix-Power (11.54s) and Ebony Lane (11.56s).
Dr Mackenzie Little’s opening round throw of 58.76m was good enough for victory in the javelin, with Lianna Davidson challenging the mark in the second round with her best throw of the competition of 58.28m.
Roman Anastasios claimed the high jump title in 2.20m while Aidan Hinson (16.23m) and Emma Berg (16.13m) claimed the triple jump and shot put titles respectively.
In Matt Denny’s absence while he competes in the USA, Darcy Miller won the discus in 57.14m, while James Joycey won the hammer throw in 69.09m.
In heats all of the usual suspects made it through to tomorrow’s final, except for a brain fade from Peyton Craig in the 800m. Craig eased off and was caught on the line for the second automatic place by a fast finishing Degras Amekata in a slow heat. Given the depth of Australia’s 800m running currently, and with Craig having only the fifth fastest time so far during the qualifying period, the mistake could ultimately cost the Olympic semi-finalist selection in this year’s Commonwealth Games.
The most impressive heat breakthrough was a 50.57s 400m hurdles from Olympic decathlon bronze medallist Ash Moloney, who nailed a fast first 300m and survived agricultural style hurdling to stay on his feet through to the line. Season leader (49.48s) Matthew Hunt starts favourite for tomorrow’s final after a walk-in-the-park 52.25s heat win.
