Watch out Gout: Aussie Lachlan Kennedy’s stunning 100m sprint

Gout Gout has a serious rival in Australian sprinting after a fellow Queenslander achieved something the teen has yet to do.

Watch out, Gout Gout.

In a stunning era for Australian sprinting, fellow Queenslander Lachlan Kennedy has set the second fastest time for the 100m in the country’s long athletics history on Friday night.

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Roughly 24 hours after 17-year-old Gout twice ran 9.99 seconds with an illegal wind-assisted time, Kennedy stopped the clock at exactly 10.00 seconds in his heat at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth.

While teenage phenom Gout has garnered most of the spotlight for his times – and running style – that closely match the progress of the legendary Usain Bolt, Kennedy has quietly been building a sensational resume.

Lachlan Kennedy powers to the line in his 100m heat in Perth. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

He picked up Australia’s first ever medal in the 60m at the World Indoor titles with silver last month and then beat Gout in the 200m at the Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne two weeks ago.

Kennedy, 21, has said he has no doubt he will break 10 seconds this year and he is now as close as you can get ahead of Saturday’s final.

Patrick Johnson remains the only Australian to record an official time under 10 seconds for the 100m, with his 9.93 seconds in Japan back in 2003 still the standard bearer for the country’s male sprinters.

Matt Shirvington had previously held the record of 10.03s and Kennedy has now surpassed that time to sit second in the all-time Australian record books.

Lachlan Kennedy has set the second fastest time for the 100m in the country’s long athletics history.

“He got a pretty good start Kennedy. He can relax here and really go for it,” Bruce McAvaney said calling Kennedy’s run on 7plus.

“So it’s all about the clock now, can Lachie get his time?

“Oh, he’s getting quicker. Let’s see if it goes down, it does to 10 seconds flat and it’s legal at 10.00.

“So there we have the second fastest Australian, the second fastest legal Australian of all time.

“It was tantalising, the moment he got the good start and got the lead you knew that it was on and he stretches and stretches and saves the dip for maybe the finals tomorrow.”

Gout and Kennedy are not facing off at the Australian titles, with the former running in the under-20 category for the 100m and the open 200m, while Kennedy is focusing on the open 100m event.

Gout Gout celebrates after his win in the under-20 100m on Thursday. (Photo by COLIN MURTY / AFP)

Speaking on the eve of the titles in Perth, Kennedy told the ABC that Australia is currently in its “greatest era” for sprinting and had no doubt the 10-second barrier – and Johnson’s record – would soon finally be broken.

“Oh for sure, I just think it’s a matter of time,” Kennedy said of breaking 10 seconds.

“I think it’ll definitely happen. My PB is 10.03 and I did that about a month ago, so pretty much as close you can get.

“I’m just waiting until Perth rolls around.

“I don’t think (Johnson’s record) will remain much longer. It should be broken, hopefully in Perth, if not definitely by the end of the year.”

The magical milestone also appears within Gout’s reach as he progresses in his young career.

Sprinting great Patrick Johnson’s record is now under serious threat. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Gout already holds the Australian under-16 and under-18 records and only the wind level prevented him from adding the under-20 mark on Thursday.

After a wind-assisted 9.99 seconds in his heat, expectations were high Gout could do something even more special in the final.

In another wind-assisted run, meaning it won’t officially count in the record books, Gout missed the start for a second straight time but it didn’t matter as he ran the exact same time.

“The eyes of the world are on him,” McAvaney said.

“He didn’t get the start but he starts to stretch away and he’s done it, he’s broken the 10 seconds again!

“The wind is too big again, but the time is there. He didn’t get the start but he rolled along and twice in three hours, he’s gone inside 10 seconds.

“He’s a young genius. When the wind is his friend, we know what’s coming.”

It appears all Aussie athletics fans now know what’s coming for not one but two young speed demons.

Originally published as Watch out Gout: Aussie Lachlan Kennedy’s stunning 100m sprint