On Saturday night at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, Lachlan Kennedy, a promising 21-year-old sprinter, made headlines by defeating the exciting young talent Gout, who is just 17. Despite having recently secured a silver medal at the world indoor athletics championships in the 60m, Kennedy showcased his versatility in the 200m event, finishing in an impressive 20.26 seconds. Gout closely followed, clocking 20.30 seconds, while 21-year-old Calab Law came third at 20.78 seconds.
Kennedy launched from the starting blocks with remarkable speed, establishing an early lead. Gout, known for his rapid finishes, surged in the final stretch, momentarily hinting at an upset. However, Kennedy held on to his lead and won by a mere four-hundredths of a second.
Post-race, a visibly exhausted Kennedy expressed his exhilaration, noting, “I don’t run many 200s… but I’m just happy to be here.” He praised the depth of talent in Australian sprinting, acknowledging Gout’s impressive potential and their shared status in the vibrant sprinting community.
Kennedy had previously recorded his fastest 200m time of 20.93 under ideal tailwind conditions, making his Melbourne victory even more remarkable with a modest tailwind of +0.4m/s. Impressively, he achieved his personal best for the distance after also competing in a 100m race earlier that evening, where he took first place, finishing in 10.17 seconds despite a challenging headwind of -1.1m/s. Reigning 100m national champion Sebastian Sultana finished second in that race at 10.29 seconds, while Rohan Browning, a semi-finalist at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, secured third with a time of 10.30 seconds.
Kennedy’s performance not only highlighted his burgeoning talent but also reinforced the strong position of Australian athletics on the international stage.