Lachlan Kennedy made history at the Australian athletics championships in Sydney Olympic Park, becoming the first Australian sprinter to break the 10-second barrier for 100m on home soil. The 22-year-old clocked 9.96 seconds with a legal tailwind of +0.2m/s, lowering his personal best and joining Patrick Johnson as the only Australians to achieve a legal sub-10 second run.
However, the celebratory mood turned sour after Jess Hull crashed out of the women's 1500m final. With 50 metres remaining, Hull was leading when Claudia Hollingsworth appeared to clip her, causing Hull to fall. Abbey Caldwell was also caught up in the incident, while Sarah Billings slipped through to finish second behind Hollingsworth. Hollingsworth was later disqualified for jostling, but the result remains subject to an appeal on Saturday.
Hull's father and coach, Simon, was seen shouting angrily that his daughter was 'robbed', and the runner herself said she believed the contact was not legal. 'I went to close the rail because I thought I was away,' Hull said. 'Whoever was coming from behind just gave me a tap and when you're going that fast, the slightest bump you hit the track.'
In the men's 1500m, Cameron Myers ran 3:29.85, narrowly missing the national record set by Olli Hoare, who finished second. Kennedy, who said he felt he had 'more in the tank', will compete in the 100m semi-finals and final on Saturday, followed by the 200m on Sunday against Gout Gout.
