Speedster Kennedy: 'World medal just the start for me'
Even just "a bit upset" about the colour of his medal, Lachlan Kennedy is adamant that his landmark world indoor championships silver will be just the launchpad for his rocket sprint rise in 2025.
Kennedy was pipped by an agonising one-hundredth of a second in the 60 metres final in Nanjing on Friday, but after winning the first ever medal by an Australian in the blue riband event of the short-track championships, the 21-year-old declared it was just the start for him and the country's new legion of speedsters.
Even if he's been eclipsed by some of the feats of the phenomenal 17-year-old Gout Gout, then Kennedy's breakthrough, along with Torrie Lewis's lightning progress in women's track, has only shown that Australia could soon offer a triple threat in global sprinting.
Or the way Kennedy put it at the Chinese venue: "I will keep showing them that (Australian) athletics is no joke.
"Just because we're so far away from everyone doesn't mean we ain't got what it takes to compete with the world's best!"
The quicksilver Queenslander had already shown in Canberra in January that he's a serious talent, clocking 6.43sec in an outdoor meet - even if helped by a 1.6m following wind - to become the 10th fastest man in history over 60m.
But this Nanjing performance was another step up on his indoor debut, with the unfamiliarity of his surrounds not fazing him as he clocked 6.50sec in the final, the quickest ever by an Australian indoors, only to be edged out by Briton Jeremiah Azu.
Look at that roar 🦁Jeremiah Azu storms to 6.49 to claim the world indoor title in the men's 60m at the #WorldIndoorChamps💨 pic.twitter.com/2riYd26XL6
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) March 21, 2025
"I know I can do so much more, this is only the beginning. I'm a bit upset I didn't win, but I definitely got the next best thing," Kennedy said.
"Racing three events, with eight hours in between them was weird for me, but in the heat I stumbled and almost fell over after crossing the finish line.
"When I got to the semis, I was hesitant and tensed up a bit and then I thought, if I fall over in the final, I fall over - and I just went for it."
Kennedy's time eclipsed Matt Shirvington's national indoor best of 6.52 at the same event in Maebashi, Japan, in 1999, and could be the springboard for a special campaign in which he has Patrick Johnson's national 100m record of 9.93sec in his sights.
"It's already been really a good season, so I hope I can carry this momentum towards Japan for the World Championships, but before that, I'm gonna do nationals back in Australia and completely focus on the 100m now," he explained.
"Hopefully I can go sub-10 seconds soon. I definitely want to keep doing this for as long as I can, and be a role model for younger athletes coming through.
"Heck, yeah, this season has been my favourite so far. There's so much more to do and more to come.
"I definitely want to go sub-10 in the 100m, that's my goal for this season, and then I want to break the Australian record. It's well within reach for me to do at the Maurie Plant Meet (on March 29 in Melbourne) or Nationals (on April 10-13 in Perth).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
WADA calls on US to stop 'dangerous' Enhanced Games
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Witold Banka has called for next year's Enhanced Games to be banned (ANDREJ IVANOV) World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Witold Banka has called on US authorities to prevent the drug-fueled Enhanced Games from taking place next year. Speaking in Lausanne in an address to a meeting of summer Olympic officials, Banka said the inaugural edition of the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas -- where athletes will be free to use performance-enhancing drugs -- "must be stopped." Advertisement "We all must stand up and condemn those who put greed and ego before the well-being of athletes and the values of fair competition," Banka said. "As the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles approach, we cannot allow what should be a celebration of honest sporting endeavor to be overshadowed by this cynical attempt to undermine clean sport. "WADA is now urging the authorities in the US to seek ways to prevent the Enhanced Games from going ahead as planned. For the sake of athletes' health and the purity of sport, it must be stopped." In separate remarks following the address, Banka urged US authorities to consider legal action to prevent the Enhanced Games from taking place. Advertisement "Every effort should be made by the authorities in the US to prevent this dangerous event from going ahead as planned," Banka said. "This should be explored from the legal perspective. For example, I would question whether it is legal for licensed doctors to give these potent drugs to healthy athletes. "It goes completely against the rules and values of their profession...I think there is a strong role to be played by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)". USADA has been a strident critic of WADA in recent years following controversy over the global doping watchdog's handling of positive drug tests from 23 Chinese swimmers in 2021. Advertisement Responding to Banka's remarks on Wednesday, USADA chief executive Travis Tygart accused the WADA president of "attempting to leverage this sideshow to distract from fixing WADA and to stoke anti-American rhetoric." "As we have repeatedly said, for all of the obvious reasons, the Enhanced Games or any other open competition is a bad idea," Tygart said in comments emailed to AFP, urging Banka to accept an invitation to a US Senate hearing next week where the 2021 case involving Chinese swimmers is to be discussed. The first Enhanced Games will be staged in Las Vegas in May 2026, with athletes participating in three sports -- athletics, swimming and weightlifting. Athletes will be allowed to use drugs banned across international sport such as steroids and human growth hormones, with winners of each event receiving $250,000, and a bonus of $1 million for any athlete who breaks a world record. rcw/bb
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussie swim sensation Mollie O'Callaghan breaks down in sad poolside revelation
Aussie swimming star Mollie O'Callaghan broke down in tears at the Australian world championship trials on Wednesday night, after shedding light on her personal struggles and the weight of expectation that comes with her 'status' as an Olympic champion. It came after O'Callaghan qualified for the world championships in Singapore by winning the women's 200m freestyle in Adelaide. The Paris Games gold medallist clocked a time of 54.43 seconds (1:54.43) to beat teammate and fellow Olympian Lani Pallister, who set a new personal best time of 1:54.89 in stunning scenes. O'Callaghan was Australia's most successful athlete at last year's Olympics with three gold medals, plus a silver and bronze. But 21-year-old took a five-month break from the pool in a bid to balance her competitive instinct with having fun after admitting that she's struggled with the pressures that have come with her success. And describing her swim as 'awful' in a poolside interview with Aussie great Cate Campbell after the race, the emotions came flooding out as O'Callaghan revealed what she had been going through. "Look, I've had a rough couple of past months," a tearful O'Callaghan said. "Tonight was really stressful for me, and I think even though it's not exactly the time I want, it's (been) hard to like come back (after the Paris Games). "I would say this lead-up has been the hardest thing that I've experienced so far, so I'm happy I can make the team (for the Singapore world titles) this year. I don't think there's been anything as hard as this, coming here and trying to race and trying to defend my Olympic, I guess, status in a way." O'Callaghan said her rise to stardom came with an enormous burden of expectation and the plan to enjoy herself a bit more hadn't exactly panned out as she battled a knee injury this year. "After the Olympics, I achieved everything I wanted to and I needed that mental recovery after that," she said. This year is about having fun but there's been a lot of curve balls thrown at me so it's making it very hard to have fun." Fellow Olympic champion Cam McEvoy issued a warning to his rivals after posting the fastest 50m freestyle time in the world this year to beat Kyle Chalmers in the final. The 21-year-old clocked 21.30 seconds to edge out Chalmers - who set a personal best time of 21.68, but McEvoy said there's room for even more improvement. "I definitely think I can go faster before the world champs; how much though I'm not sure," said McEvoy, who won last year's Olympic final in 21.25. "But longer term, like more LA (2028 Olympic) levels to the future, I think, yeah, there's a lot more I can improve." Also on Wednesday night, Sam Short's return to form continued by winning the men's 800m freestyle in 7:40.95. While 16-year-old sensation Sienna Toohey won again in the women's 50m breaststroke, one night after selection for the worlds by winning the 100m breaststroke. Harry Turner also booked his ticket to Singapore by winning the men's 200m butterfly in 1:54.90. with AAP
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Adam Scott at another US Open and headed for century mark in the majors
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Adam Scott is one year away from an impressive streak that the Australian considers to be a classic glass half-full moment in golf. The U.S. Open is his 96th consecutive major championship appearance dating to the 2001 British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. 'It sounds like a lot to have won one,' Scott said with a laugh, referring to his lone major title in the 2013 Masters. 'It would be twice as good if there was one more.' Still, he realizes he is approaching a big milestone. The PGA Championship next year, assuming he qualifies or gets an invitation, will be his 100th career major. He could make it 100 in a row if he makes it to Shinnecock Hills for next year's U.S. Open. A streak like that requires eligibility and good health. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson only had eligibility in their favor. Woods played 46 straight majors until knee surgery after he won the 2008 U.S. Open. Mickelson played 61 in a row before he sat out the 2009 British Open as his wife was being treated for breast cancer. The record is among the most untouchable in golf — Jack Nicklaus played 146 in a row from the 1962 U.S. Open through the 2008 U.S. Open. 'Probably whenever it ends, whether it's 100 or more or less, I think it will be hard for guys to get to that number going forward,' Scott said. 'I think it's getting harder. And I think I have been a consistent player over a 25-year career. I could probably pick three troughs where my game was looking pretty ordinary and I fell outside the top 50 and I was really struggling. But over 25 years, I'd expect that of almost any player.' He failed to make it through qualifying last year (he was first alternate) but became exempt at No. 61 in the world. Grayson Murray, who took his life in May 2024, was still ahead of him in the world ranking and the USGA went down one spot. Scott said Mickelson and Rory McIlroy are among the few who never went through bad spells or serious injury 'and we're talking about two of the greatest of their generation.' McIlroy's streak was interrupted when he injured his left ankle and couldn't play the 2015 British Open. Oakmont is his 39th consecutive major. US Open prize money For the first time since 2021, the U.S. Open is not increasing its prize money. It will be $21.5 million for the second straight year, with $4.3 million going to the winner. It remains the biggest purse of the four majors. The Masters was $21 million this year, while the PGA Championship was at $19 million. The British Open hasn't announced its total purse for next month at Royal Portrush. It was at $17 million last year. The U.S. Open purse was $12.5 million in 2020 and 2021 before making a big leap to $17.5 million in 2022 at Brookline. 'I feel comfortable that we've been a leader in moving fast and bigger,' USGA CEO Mike Whan said Wednesday. The Players Championship has a $25 million purse. The USGA and R&A get the bulk of their revenue from their Opens. They also use that money to invest back in the game, including the Women's Opens and amateur events such as the Walker Cup and Curtis Cup that several of the top stars once played. 'But at the same time, we understand. We want to be relevant,' Whan said. 'We know that this probably isn't really about the money for the person who puts it there, but at the same time, we want the money to be commensurate with the achievement. ... It's part of creating what we want to be the greatest championship in the game.' Driver testing Xander Schauffele couldn't contain his laughter when he said both his drivers were tested this week and both passed the USGA limits of trampoline effect. It was no joking matter for Rory McIlroy at the PGA Championship when word got out that his driver didn't pass the test from too much use. Turns out Scottie Scheffler's driver didn't pass for the same reason, and they had to get new drivers. The results are supposed to be confidential. The post on McIlroy's driver was published without any context — the random testing at every major, and the service being done for players (and equipment makers) who otherwise would be unaware when the faces of the drivers become too thin from constant strikes. Whan said he felt stronger than ever to keep results private 'In terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town,' Whan said "Because I think when you talked about a rules violation or somebody who's playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality. 'I can tell you as a rules body, if we had concern about this incredible advantage, we would change the degree in which we test,' he said 'But we think the testing that we're doing now is commensurate with the size of both the issue and the size of the reality of the issue.' Rain and rocks The Pittsburgh area had one of the wettest Mays in history, not ideal for a U.S. Open that would prefer Oakmont to be firm, fast and scary. But it's not just the golf course. It can turn into a sloppy mess outside the ropes, and for some of the lots the U.S. Open is using for parking. That's why Whan was quick to celebrate Thomas Construction, a local company that has supplied gravel to create paths in walkways and parking lots. 'He no longer has gravel — true story — and he's only had one customer in the last 60 days — us,' Whan said. 'Suffice it to say, he told us there's more gravel here than in the quarry right now. And I apologize to all you (Oakmont) members. Good news is it's outside of the rope lines.' ___
