Rohan Browning wins 100m sprint in a time of 10.02 at the Australian Track and Field Championships

Sprinting ace Rohan Browning has come agonisingly close to breaking the 10 second barrier on his way to a second 100m national title.

Rohan Browning has won the 100m sprint at the national titles. Picture: David Ramos/Getty Images)

SPRINTING ace Rohan Browning has come agonisingly close to breaking the 10 second barrier on his way to a second 100m national title.

Browning, 25, was out to make a statement in the men’s 100m final in Brisbane at the Australian Track and Field Championships after setting a scorching pace of 10.18 to win his heats with ease on Friday.

He did just that with the man known as the ‘flying mullet’ crossing in a championship record of 10.02, just 0.01 outside his best. It was also the fastest 100m by an Australian on home soil.

“It felt good. It is one of those bittersweet ones where, flat wind and so close to sub (10 seconds). I was hoping to maybe round down but I’ll take 10.02,” Browning said.

Rohan Browning has won the 100m final at the national athletics titles. Picture: William Wetst/AFP

The national champion in 2021 and sixth place finisher at last year’s Commonwealth games, Browning missed last year’s nationals due to injury, but has been on a roll this season, remaining undefeated by an Australian across the 100m.

With a world qualifying automatic marker of 10.00, Browning’s chances of competing on the global stage may come down to being inside the world top 48 on points.

Taking on the semi-final Browning made it an ambition to put the exclamation point on his status as Australia’s best, clocking a 10.17 to advance fastest to the final.

In front of a rambunctious home crowd Browning stood atop of the straight a man determined to do what only one Australian in Patrick Johnson has done before, that being break the famous 10 second barrier.

For Browning the win caps of one of the best domestic seasons by an Australian, and continues his unbeaten streak to countrymen to 34 races.

“I felt clean, I felt smooth … it was all there” Browning said.

“This has been my best domestic season ever and in the past I have really struggled to run through the rounds, I want to be one of the best on the world scene.”

Browning will now focus his attention on going under that magical 10 second marker and automatically gain selection for the World Championships in August this year.

Originally published as Rohan Browning wins 100m sprint in a time of 10.02 at the Australian Track and Field Championships