Tokyo Olympics 2021: Rohan Browning runs 10.01 seconds to win 100m heat

Australia’s flying mullet has captured attention across the world, drawing likeness to a Hollywood hunk after his blistering time in the 100m heats.

The look on Yohan Blake’s face said it all – who is this guy?

Well, the world certainly knows who Aussie Rohan Browning is and about his flowing mullet now after his blistering 100m heat.

Browning produced a personal best 10.01 secs in the heats to make himself one of the Aussies to watch on another huge day in Tokyo.

And it didn’t take long for Twitter to compare Browning and his flying mullet to Hollywood heart-throb Zac Efron either.

• Browning produced a personal best 10.01 secs in the heats
• Browning became Australia’s second fastest man
• The semi-finals and final will be run on Sunday night
• No Australian has won a medal in 100m since bronze in 1956

Zac Efron or Rohan Browning? Either way, he won his 100m heat! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ntrgSyJLRz

— Olympics (@Olympics) July 31, 2021

Zac Efron in High School Musical 2 ran pretty fast there

— Tyler Maher (@tylermaher5) July 31, 2021

Rohan Browning in the 100m! And the mullet! Yes!! #tokyo2020#olympics#athletics

— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) July 31, 2021

The people’s mullet! Get around @Rohan_Browning 💪🏽 🏃‍♂️ #Athletics#Tokyo2020https://t.co/K1vR131Fry

— Lauren Wood (@LaurenHeraldSun) July 31, 2021

Rohan Browning FLYING thanks to the mullet! That, my friends, was a monster run! #AUS#athletics

— Kitch 🇦🇺 (@kitchtrips) July 31, 2021

Browning became Australia’s second fastest man and an Olympic semi-finalist when he blitzed the field in his heat.

In an extraordinary performance the Sydney University student stunned the world by winning his 100m heat in a personal best 10.01sec.

Browning now moves past Matt Shirvington on the all-time list and has Patrick Johnson’s 9.93sec national record in his sights.

Rohan Browning (right) beat Yohan Blake (left) to qualify sixth fastest for the semi-finals. Picture: Alex Coppel

Rohan Browning (top) led from start to finish in heat 7. Picture: Ina Fassbender/AFP

Running from lane one, the 23-year-old started brilliantly and then held off former world champion Yohan Blake over the final stages.

“That’s what I was looking forward to today. I had a look at the start list, I thought I’ve got one of the stiffest heats. You’d rather do it the hard way, it is much more satisfying. You have to front up to everybody at some point,” Browning tols Channel 7 after his historic run.

“About six weeks ago, I had three cortisone injections in my knee to try and fix up a problem I had off the back of the national championships. I had a lot of trust in my coach. He got me back in shape. I’m happy with that one.

Rohan Browning isn’t at the Olympics to make up the numbers. Picture: Alex Coppel

Rohan Browning doesn't have to look far for inspiration about producing shocks on the big stage.

His coach is Andrew Lloyd, for those old enough to remember this in Auckland 1990.https://t.co/KoQ4sTdp61

— Tony Harper (@toneharper) July 31, 2021

Zac Efron or Rohan Browning? Either way, he won his 100m heat! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ntrgSyJLRz

— Olympics (@Olympics) July 31, 2021

“A lot of media pundits who were writing well-meaning stories about how great it would be for me to make a final. I’ve never been here just to make a final. No matter what the bookies say, the pundits or the punters. I hope there are a few more believers tonight.”

Shirvington was the last Australian to make it through to an Olympic semi-final in Sydney in 2000.

Hec Hogan is Australia’s only medallist winning bronze in 1956.

There was a major surprise in an earlier heat with the world’s fastest man this year, American Trayvon Bromell, finishing fourth and outside the automatic qualifying positions.

He did manage to progress through to the semi-finals – the first three in each heat are automatic – as one of three fastest losers.

There were plenty of impressive performances including a national record of 9.94 by Italian Lamont Marcell Jacobs.

Canada’s Andre de Grasse who has long been anointed as Bolt’s replacement reminded everyone of his talent with a 9.91sec heat win.

DENNY AGONISINGLY CLOSE TO BRONZE

Callum Dick

“Less than the length of a beer can” was how Matt Denny processed his oh-so-close fourth in the men’s discus final, declaring he finally feels like one of the big boys after a stunning display at the Olympic Stadium.

The Aussie hurled a personal best of more than 80cm with his final attempt of the night, falling an agonisingly close 5cm to Austrian Lukas Weisshaidinger in third.

“Five centimetres. Less than a beer can. I definitely need a gin or two after this,” Denny said.

“Yeah, it hurts. I’m happy – best performance by an Australian male in athletics at an Olympics, but my goal is not to do that, it’s to win, to do my best and I knew I had more there so it just kills.”

The boy from Allora in country Queensland knew he’d thrown himself close to a medal as soon as the discus left his hand – the wait for the distance to show on the screen an eternity to he, his competitors and those lucky few inside the stadium.

“I hit it and I knew it was good. I knew it was better but yeah, it felt like a while that’s for sure,” Denny said.

Matthew Denny just missed out on bronze.

“To know I was just off and to see that four … four sucks. Fourth sucks man.”

Pre-Games gold medal favourite Daniel Stahl of Sweden tossed 68.90 to claim gold, ahead of compatriot Simon Pettersson’s 67.39m

Before the Games Denny said it was a battle for the minor medals, with Stahl a head and shoulders favourite to claim gold.

And though the big Swede did so, Denny’s performance gave the Aussie confidence his time may soon come.

“I’ll be really honest – it’s funny for me. I’m six (foot) five, right. So when I go to Europe … because I’m not competing against those guys all the time, Daniel is six-eight … all these boys are so much bigger than me,” Denny said.

“Even in 2019 going over there I can feel smaller than them. Sometimes, it’s a little bit of a check-up when I get there.

“But now, when I saw everyone and started competition yesterday I didn’t feel that anymore. I always felt like I belonged but now it’s like, ‘we’re on, you can do this’.

“I’m glad that I know where I stand now.”

No beers and no gin for Denny, who with a larrikin grin lamented at the closed bars in Tokyo.

But surely the local pub in Allora is sinking plenty in his honour after his incredible showing tonight.

Originally published as Tokyo Olympics 2021: Rohan Browning runs 10.01 seconds to win 100m heat