An Australian team including sub-10 second man Lachlan Kennedy equalled the national 4x100m record on a big day one for the green and gold contingent at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana.
Record-Breaking Performances
Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius and anchor leg runner Rohan Browning stopped the clock at 37.87 seconds, securing third spot in the heat and a berth in the final on Sunday. '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.
Kennedy, Azzopardi and Ius – along with Calab Law – clocked the same time at last year's Sydney Track Classic. The result also guaranteed Australia a spot in the men's 4x100m at next year's athletics world championships in Beijing, by which time Gout Gout and Eddie Nketia could also be in the frame.
Men's 4x400m Record
The men's 4x400m quartet of Luke van Ratingen, Reece Holder, Matthew Hunt and Aidan Murphy clocked a flying time of 2 minutes 57.30 seconds to set a new national record and move to seventh spot on the all-time list. The previous Australian record of 2 minutes 59.70 seconds 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.'
Mixed 4x400m Record
Cooper Sherman, Ellie Beer, Thomas Reynolds and Mia Gross lowered the Australian mixed 4x400m relay record to 3 minutes 12.20 seconds.
Australia's 4x100m women's 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.
