John Salvado
An Australian team including sub 10-second man Lachlan Kennedy have equalled the national 4x100m record on a big day one for the green and gold contingent at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana.
Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius and evergreen anchor-leg runner Rohan Browning stopped the clock at 37.87 seconds – good enough for third spot in the heat and a berth in the final on Sunday (Monday, AEST).
“I think we’ll go really well tomorrow. That’s just the standard now that we want to be competing for medals each year, and I think that tomorrow we can all go a little bit faster,” Kennedy said.
“We have a real red-hot chance, but we have to back it up. Rohan man, he’s still got it.”
Luke van Ratingen, Reece Holder, Matthew Hunt and Aiadan Murphy clocked a flying time of 2:57.30 to move to seventh spot on the all-time list for the 4x400m relay.
The previous Australian record of 2:59.70 had stood since the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
“Everyone is feeling unreal. The team is strong and the time has always been there, it’s just been about getting the race done,” Holder said.
“We’re still a young team and we have many years to come, so we’ll just be lowering that time down.
“All I can say right now is, we’re hot.”
Cooper Sherman, Ellie Beer, Thomas Reynolds and Mia Gross lowered the Australian mixed 4x400m relay record to 3:12.20.
Australia’s 4x100m women team, headed by Torrie Lewis, were disqualified for an illegal change in the heats but will return on Sunday for another shot at qualifying for the 2027 world championships.
AAP
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