Sprinter Lachie Kennedy is on a mission to shatter the Australian 100-meter record, a mark that has stood for over two decades. The 22-year-old believes it is “about time” the record is broken and sees himself as the athlete poised to achieve this milestone. Kennedy is also setting his sights on a potential showdown with teammate Eddie Nketia in the upcoming Commonwealth Games final.

The Pursuit of Perfection in Sprinting

For Lachie Kennedy, the ultimate satisfaction in sprinting transcends mere victory. While he acknowledges a dislike for losing and a preference for winning, Kennedy finds his greatest joy in executing a flawless race against elite competition. “I don’t enjoy losing in any form or aspect, so when I’m against fast people, I know I need to bring my A game if I want to win,” he stated. “Almost as much as I don’t like losing, I love the pressure as well.” This mindset has propelled him to become one of Australia’s most promising track and field talents.

Kennedy’s recent performances underscore his rapid ascent. He has recorded six of the top ten fastest 100m times ever by an Australian. In the past two years, his only defeat on home soil over the 100m was a razor-thin margin of 0.005 seconds at last year’s national championships. His international debut also made waves, securing a silver medal in the 60m at the indoor world championships in March. Shortly after, he achieved the second legal sub-10-second 100m run by an Australian.

Chasing History: The National Record

The national 100m record, held by Patrick Johnson since 2003, is now genuinely under threat. In the last year and a half, a significant number of Australia’s fastest 100m times have been recorded, with Kennedy’s two sub-10-second runs (9.96 and 9.98 seconds) being the only legal ones. “Records are meant to be broken,” Kennedy asserted. “Patrick Johnson’s record’s stood for longer than I’ve been alive, so I think it’s about time that record goes.”

Kennedy has also found support and encouragement from past Australian sprint legends. He noted that figures like Patrick Johnson and Matt Shirvington, prominent sprinters from the 90s and 2000s, are enthusiastic about the new generation challenging their achievements. “I’ve met [Johnson] a couple of times and he’s always been very supportive. He wants the best for me. He wants his record to be broken,” Kennedy shared. “And Shirvo as well has been a massive supporter of mine too. They’re all good blokes and really just want the best for the sport.” He added that these former champions offer valuable advice on managing pressure and race execution, insights he deeply values.

The Underdog Mentality on the World Stage

While recognized as a leading figure in Australian sprinting, Kennedy embraces the underdog role when competing internationally. He finds the challenge of facing the world’s best without being the favorite to be invigorating. “I like lining up against the world’s best and not being a favourite; I like being a smoky, I like being an underdog. It’s a good feeling, it’s exciting, it’s intense, it’s pretty raw,” he explained. “The extreme focus [of] competing against the world’s best, I live for those moments. I wanna run against the world’s best.”

This desire will be put to the test at the upcoming Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon. Although a highly anticipated clash with fellow Australian Gout Gout is off the table due to Gout’s back soreness, the field is formidable. Kennedy is set to compete against some of the fastest sprinters globally, including Oblique Seville and Kayinsola Ajayi, Olympic medalist Kenny Bednarek, Diamond League winner Gift Leotlela, former world champion Christian Coleman, and veteran Trayvon Bromell. While many in the field boast superior personal bests and international accolades, Kennedy thrives in such high-stakes environments.

The Ideal Race Scenario

Kennedy articulated his ideal race scenario: “I want to have to run my best race in order to win.” He finds more satisfaction in a hard-fought victory achieved through peak performance than an easy win. “You don’t want to run a bad race and win, it’s kind of unsatisfying. But if you run a really good race and you win, that’s the best feeling in the world… and even if you run a great race and get second, it just drives you even more to know there’s still people better than you; that next thing, the next goal to reach.” His preference is clear: “I would much rather run against a bunch of fast people than have an easy race.”

Commonwealth Games Aspirations

Looking ahead to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Kennedy anticipates facing several of his Prefontaine Classic competitors, including Seville, Ackeem Blake, Gift Leotlela, and Kayinsola Ajayi. He also anticipates a potential first-time race against Australian teammate Eddie Nketia in the final. Nketia, the New Zealand 100m record holder, has switched allegiance to Australia and has also run legally under 10 seconds.

The prospect of two Australians competing in the Commonwealth Games 100m final is something Kennedy finds particularly exciting. “How awesome would that be, having two Australians in the Commonwealth Games final? And maybe we both get a medal; it’d be historic, it’d be awesome,” he said. “They’re the things you live for, it’s what you train for.” He believes such contests are beneficial for the sport, generating greater interest from fans and athletes alike.

The 100m events at the Commonwealth Games are scheduled to begin on July 27, with the finals taking place on the morning of July 29 (AEST).