Australian sprinting achieved historic success at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with multiple medal-winning performances on a single day that included two national records in the 100m.
Lachie Kennedy secured silver in the men’s 100m with a time of 9.85 seconds, surpassing Patrick Johnson’s previous national record of 9.93 seconds from 2003. Kennedy finished just behind Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, who won gold. The achievement marked Australia’s first medal in the men’s 100m since Michael Cleary’s bronze in 1962. Kennedy had competed despite missing the previous year’s outdoor world championships due to a back injury and claimed his first national title in April.
In the women’s 100m, Torrie Lewis claimed bronze with a time of 10.99 seconds, becoming the first Australian woman to break the 11-second barrier. Lewis finished behind New Zealand’s Zoe Hobbs and England’s Amy Hunt. The 21-year-old, who had previously set a national record of 11.10 seconds in 2024, has been training in the Netherlands under coach Laurent Meuwly. Her medal marked the first time an Australian woman had stood on the 100m podium since Tania Van Heer’s bronze in 1998.
Both sprinters demonstrated consistency in their performances, having posted personal bests in the semi-finals. Eddie Nketia, competing for Australia following his change of allegiance from New Zealand, finished sixth in the men’s final. The result marked the first time in 44 years that two Australians reached the men’s 100m final. The broader success reflected a developing depth in Australian sprinting, with additional medal performances coming from Eleanor Patterson’s gold and Lara Roberts’ bronze in field events.
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