Meet Lachlan Kennedy, 21-year-old sprinting sensation from Australia, who rocked the athletics world last week with his celebration. He last month ran a blazing 9.98 seconds in the 100 meters at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meet in Nairobi, Kenya. It was his tremendous win at the meeting. It made him the first Australian to legally run under 10 seconds since Patrick Johnson achieved that feat in 2003. Kennedy’s feat marks the end of a 22-year drought for Australian male sprinters to run under the elusive 10-second barrier.
Kennedy’s journey to this historic moment has been shaped by his dedication to training and the support of his coach and teammates. Orlando’s longtime coach Andrew Iselin has arguably been Kennedy’s biggest influence as a coach and mentor. With training from fellow sprinter Calab Law, Kennedy continues to hone his craft and development on the track. The young NFL star kingpins his success on having an impressive strength and conditioning staff. Their keen sprinter tracking support has made a world of difference in his growth as a sprinter.
Achievements at the Continental Tour
At the Nairobi meet, Kennedy had the race of his life. He gave a great short interview shortly after crossing the finish line wherein he described the thrill of finally breaking sub-10 seconds.
“It’s so good. I can finally say I run 9! I haven’t wanted to rush it or put the pressure on myself,” – Lachlan Kennedy
As a result, his triumph in Nairobi has become a victory of his labor and endurance. Kennedy remarked on his mindset leading up to the race, stating, “I take every race as it comes and I knew it would come eventually.”
This victory is deeply historic. It’s a marker of a boom in Australian sprinting and an inspiration to future stars all over the nation.
Future Competitions and Aspirations
Kennedy is currently preparing for the Ostrava Golden Spike Diamond League meet in the Czech Republic. See you online June 24th—save the date! He will be accompanied by fellow Australian sprinter Gout Gout. This is another opportunity for Kennedy to gain momentum off of his past few victories.
As Kennedy goes into the upcoming events, he’s hopeful about his continued potential. “I’m looking forward to seeing what I can achieve later in the year as we get closer to the World Championships,” he stated, hinting at his aspirations for further glory on the international stage.
Trusting the Process
Like Kennedy’s many legendary rides, there were obstacles to overcome on the way. Only two years ago, that scared investor himself was confessing he thought a sub-9 second run was impossible. His dedication to constructive change is clear, too, when after a strong focus on the need to trust the process.
“I’ve got a good coach [Andrew Iselin], good training partners — shout out to Calab Law, and a good S&C team around me. It’s been about trusting the process,” – Lachlan Kennedy
