Sizzling Browning Regains ‘Fastest Man’ Mantle

New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder Rohan Browning came within a breath of becoming only the second Australian to shatter the 10 second barrier when he unleashed blistering form in the 100m race of the Australian Track and Field Championships on Brisbane.

Browning, aka the Flying Mullet, ran the fastest time by an Australian on home soil when he clocked 10.02 (0.0) to reclaim the mantle as the nation’s fastest man. It was a fitting performance for the milestone 100th edition of the championships.

While he described missing out on joining the sub 10 second club as “bittersweet,” Browning celebrated what has been his most dominant domestic season.

“It felt good,” said Browning who has also clocked times of 10.18, 10.14 and 10.25 this season. “It is one of those bittersweet ones where, flat wind and I was so close to sub (10 seconds). I was hoping to maybe round down, but I’ll take 10.02.

“This has been my best domestic season ever and in the past, I have really struggled to run through the rounds. It’s got me hungry for the rest of the year on the international circuit,” Browning said.

“After last year, I’m a lot more robust now; just a little bit older and more mature. I understand my body a lot better, and I want to be a threat on the global scene. I’ve got to go sub-10. It’s bittersweet today, but it’s not far off.”

Capping off a successful summer for Browning was his being presented with the Betty Cuthbert Medal for Best Single Performance of the Meet.

“It’s a real honour to win this medal and I’m actually really humbled,” said Browning. “The current crop of athletes in Australia is brilliant at the moment and the Championships saw so many incredible performances. I feel undeserving of this award and also very fortunate.”

Fellow NSWIS scholarship holder Jessica Hull secured her place at this August’s Budapest World Athletics Championships after she was pushed all the way by Abbey Caldwell on her way to establishing a new meet record of 4:04.19.

“That was definitely the most nerve wracking one,” said Hull of her latest victory. “It’s definitely different when you bring it to a championships.

“It was fun racing this summer, but with a national title on the line and a spot to Budapest, it was a little bit more stressful.

“I thought it could be fast, it could be slow and the idea of racing a little more tactically excited me. When my coach brought me the race plan, I thought, let’s give it a try.”

NSWIS scholarship holder Nicola Olyslagers soared in the women’s high jump, clearing 1.95m to win her fourth national title, and to defeat training partner, Emily Whelan.

In the men’s event NSWIS scholarship holder Brandon Starc finished with silver after in a ding dong battle with Joel Baden who cleared 2.32m.

Meanwhile, Sarah Carli was unchallenged as she sailed to victory in the 400m hurdles, finishing in a time of 56.56 in blustery conditions.

Daniel Lane, NSWIS