Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout was upstaged by Lachie Kennedy in the 200m at the Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne, highlighting the growing prominence of Australian athletics.
In front of around 10,000 fans at Lakeside Stadium, the first sell-out for an Australian one-day athletics meet in over two decades, the 17-year-old finished just four hundredths of a second behind Kennedy. The 21-year-old, fresh off winning Australia’s first 60m medal at the world indoor championships, clocked a personal best of 20.26s. Running a powerful bend and holding off Gout at the line, Kennedy acknowledged feeling his rival closing in the final metres but managed to hold on for the win.
Kennedy described his strategy as going out hard and doing his best to maintain the lead, while Gout saw the defeat as motivation, emphasizing the competitive dynamic they share. He expressed appreciation for their ongoing rivalry and is determined to train harder ahead of the national titles in Perth, where they will meet again.
Kennedy had already won the 100m earlier in the evening, clocking 10.17s in blustery conditions. His time was enough to beat national champion Seb Sultana, with Rohan Browning finishing third.
In the women’s 200m, Kristie Edwards ran a strong bend and held on for victory, finishing ahead of Jessica Milat. Torrie Lewis, one of the pre-race favorites, faded to a disappointing fifth.
Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo opted to compete in the 400m but was beaten into second place by his compatriot Bayapo Ndori, with Leungo Scotch securing third. The Botswanan trio had previously challenged the USA for gold in the 4x400m relay in Paris. Tebogo described his performance as a season’s best and stated that his focus will now shift back to the 200m for the northern hemisphere summer.
Another standout performance came from Cameron Myers, who dominated a high-quality men’s 1500m field. Stretching out in the final lap, Myers held off Adam Spencer to secure the win, crediting his ability to push through challenging conditions.
In the women’s 1500m, Claudia Hollingsworth displayed a strong finishing kick to claim victory over Sarah Billings, Linden Hall, and Abbey Caldwell. The 19-year-old, who clocked a season’s best, described the race as chaotic, with constant position changes and unexpected challenges.
Ellie Beer, a two-time Olympian, delivered an impressive run in the women’s 400m. A week after contributing to Australia’s bronze-winning 4x400m relay team at the world indoor championships, the 22-year-old powered home to set a personal best of 51.35s, finishing more than a second and a half ahead of her competitors.
In field events, high jumper Eleanor Patterson capitalized on Nicola Olyslagers’ absence to secure an easy victory with a clearance of 1.94m. Meanwhile, Olympic bronze medallist Matt Denny won the discus with a throw of 68.17m, coming within two metres of his national record.
Competing in front of packed grandstands, Denny reflected on the atmosphere and significance of the night, ranking the experience among the top moments of his career. The event underscored the resurgence of Australian athletics and set the stage for thrilling matchups at the upcoming national championships.
