Rohan Browning becomes second Australian sprinter to break 10-second barrier, mum says reaction ‘not racist’

Rohan Browning became just the second Australia to run 100m in under 10 seconds, before his mum was forced to defend her proud reaction.

Rohan Browning is greased lightning.

Rohan Browning can run like the wind.

The 23-year-old sprinter became just the second Australian in history to break the 10-second barrier over 100m when he won his race in a blistering time of 9.96 seconds at the Illawarra Track Challenge in NSW on Saturday.

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Unfortunately for Browning, the time can’t be used for Olympic qualifying because it was wind assisted to the tune of +3.3m per second — 1.3m per second above the allotted limit.

Still, the run puts Browning in rare air. Before him Patrick Johnson was the only Aussie sprinter to crack 10 seconds, first doing so when he clocked 9.93 seconds at a meet in Japan in 2003.

Rohan Browning’s mum Liz Jackson was ecstatic, tweeting: “I think my eldest son just became the first non Indigenous Australian to run 100m in under 10 secs. Can’t quite believe it.”

She then corrected herself in another tweet soon after.

Ok so not the first non indigenous Aust’n, he joins a club of 3! but still pretty damn fast! Thanks for all the lovely wishes... I’ll pass them all on to him. https://t.co/0HQybhJGsa

— Liz Jackson (@liz__jackson) January 16, 2021

Some Twitter users criticised Jackson’s first tweet, suggesting it was “racist” and saying she shouldn’t have highlighted Browning was not Indigenous. But others supported her, saying it simply highlighted how good Indigenous atheletes are.

Responding to one critic who accused her sentiment of being racist, Jackson tweeted: “Not racist at all. In fact quite the opposite. This tweet was an acknowledgement of just how good our indigenous athletes are.”

Former Australian Olympian Tamsyn Manou (nee Lewis) then weighed in.

There is a fascination with time barriers in the 100m.Always has been.This is PJ’s Wikipedia page it was big news him breaking the 10 sec barrier&being 1st non-African to do so.PJ awesome runner&Rohan just brilliant 2. Tipping @PJohnson993 will love 2 see Rohan following his lead pic.twitter.com/GWQMH9zjgB

— Tamsyn Lewis Manou (@tamsynlewis) January 16, 2021

Browning represented Australia at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, finishing ninth in the semi-finals of the 100m with a time of 10.26. But he’ll be eyeing off bigger things and a possible berth at this year’s Tokyo Olympics after his latest effort.

He’ll need to crack 10.05 (with the allowable wind assistance) to give himself a shot at wearing the green and gold in Japan.

Browning celebrated in style on Saturday night, posting a photo of a Corona on Instagram and writing: “Sub ten beers.”

@Rohan_Browning just clocked a 100m time of 9.96 with a 3.3m/s wind in Wollongong.

Congratulations Rohan and coach Andrew Murphy.
📷 David Tarbotton pic.twitter.com/FPVt7Drrdl

— David Tarbotton (@David_Tarbotton) January 16, 2021

It’s been a golden run for Australia’s sprinters of late. A week ago Tasmanian Jack Hale broke a 55-year-old record by clocking the fastest time ever by an Aussie in the 100-yards event.

The 22-year-old crossed the line in 9.43 seconds — taking the record off former Olympian Gary Eddy, who clocked a time of 9.52 more than half a century ago.