Azzopardi throws down gauntlet to 9.96 second man

Josh Azzopardi had just one message after witnessing Lachlan Kennedy’s sizzling performance to record the fastest 100m ever run by an Aussie on home soil – a blistering 9.96 seconds – in his heat at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney on Friday night.

“Game on,” said Azzopardi, a New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship  holder who was waiting to run in his own heat as history was made.

“Game on – he’s the best talent I’ve seen, ‘Lachy’ – the first man under 10 in  Australia. I’m going to challenge him. I want to win. That’s the goal, and I feel like if anyone’s going to beat him, I can beat him.”

Azzopardi, who qualified for Saturday’s semifinal after qualifying as the field’s second fastest competitor by running 10.22, conceded he decided to conserve his energy after rocketing to a speedy start.

“The plan was to run the [first] 60 [metres], assess the field, shut it down, turn the legs over – and that’s what I did. I felt like I executed it well,  I’m really happy. I felt like I was moving, and, you know, I wanted to race to the line but we’re playing the long game here and I’m keen to finish it [in the final].

“Yeah, 10.22  [despite] slowing down, definitely a point-two there – so, hopefully conditions are favourable again [on Saturday] and we’ll see how we go.”

Azzopardi, who has been threatening to crack the 10 second barrier for the last two years, was adamant he’s in career-best form.

“It was probably the easiest 10.22 of my life,” said the Paris Olympian of his performance at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre. “I know I’m in good shape; I wanted to come out here and just get through the rounds with as much energy as possible . . . get through the rounds and the finals and see what happens.”

Azzopardi noted one of the revelations from Friday night’s 100m heats – which included fellow NSWIS scholarship athletes Rohan Browning (10.24), Connor Bond (10.28) and Chris Ius (10.41) qualifying for the semi finals – was it re-enforced his belief Australia boasts tremendous 100m stocks leading into next month’s world relay championships.  

“It’s unreal,” he enthused. “I think our relay team is  going to do incredible things. We have the World Athletics Relay Championships after this [in Botswana from May 2-3] and I can’t wait to run with the boys.”

Meanwhile, Ius – who finished second to Bond in their heat – said his lament from the night was watching  Kennedy’s scorching run.

“I would have loved to have been in it,” said Ius. “But I guess that’s what the finals are for.”

Ius took time out to pay tribute to the sprinters who he said dug the well, pinpointing three athletes who he says inspired Generation Now.

“I agree with what the commentators have been saying: this is a flow on affect from about 10 years – 2014 – with Rohan Browning, Jack Hales and Trae Williams,” he said.

“We’re all here because of them, and we’re all running fast because of them. It’s exciting because there are young blokes coming through who are just pushing us.”

One of those youngsters, Bond, a 22-year-old whose father Graham and uncle Adam Ashley Cooper played in the Australian rugby union team, said it was important he and others make their mark.

“It’s amazing to be part of,” said Bond of being a member of Australia’s sprint squadron. “If we can set a high standard, and inspire the younger generation, I couldn’t be prouder.”  

Meanwhile, NSWIS scholarship holder Luke Van Ratingen couldn’t help but to shake his head in disbelief when he qualified for the 400m semifinals in an impressive time of 45.25.

“I mean, probably for the last 10 years, 45.2 would have won Nationals,” said the 24-year-old.  “Now it’s become what you need to come first in your heat! It shows how high the stakes are!”

Van Ratingen, who won a silver medal at the 2025 World Athletics  Relay Championships in the 4 x 400m Mixed team, shared similar optimism to the sprinters when he made a forecast about Australia’s 400m hopes in Botswana.

 “It makes me very excited about the 4 x 400m relay, we have such a big depth,” he said. “I’m  very, very excited.”

Daniel Lane, NSWIS

 Photographs: Rachel Tingey