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Rohan Browning lights up 100m final in photo finish thriller

The Aussie Olympics sensation couldn't have made it any closer.

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·4-min read
Rohan Browning finishing second in Japan and Browning running in the final.
Aussie sprint sensation Rohan Browning (pictured right) finished second in a photo finish at a World Athletics grand prix in Japan. (Images: @WorldAthletics/Getty Images)

Aussie Olympic sensation Rohan Browning has produced one of his best 100 metre times of the season to finish second at the Golden Grand Prix in Japan. Browning was heading into the final against champion Fred Kerley, who had cracked under 10 seconds in the heat, full of confidence after recording 10.11 seconds earlier.

And Kerley proved too much in the final having finished ahead of the pack with a strong time of 9.92 seconds. However, Browning continued his really strong form in 2023 to finish second behind the Olympic silver medallist with an improved time of 10.10 seconds.

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Browning is getting closer to cracking under the 10 second mark with his best time coming in July 2021 when he recorded a 10.01 in Tokyo. This is his 10th best career 100m sprint time, but the second best of the year.

Aussie fans were thrilled at Browning's race having edged out Japan's Ryuichiro Sakai for second in a very close finish. Incredibly, Sakai finished with the exact same time of 10.10. Yuki Koike finished with 10.11 in a remarkably tight finish for second, third and fourth.

Browning looked to be behind with 10 metres to go, but managed to stride over the line slightly ahead of Sakai. Although the pair finished with the same time in the photo finish.

Fans reacted to the solid outing from the Australian as he picked up another second place behind the fastest man in the world.

Earlier this year, Browning, known as the Flying Mullet after his Olympics debut, produced his best ever performance. His time of 10.02 on Australian soil marked the third-quickest Aussie time ever in the event, behind Patrick Johnson's national record of 9.93 set in 2003 in Japan, and his own personal best of 10.01 at the 2021 Olympics.

Remarkably, the 10.02 is the fastest time ever by an Aussie on Australian soil, with the two faster times both set in Japan.

Browning burst onto the global stage at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 when he won his 100m heat, despite facing Jamaican star Yohan Blake. The Aussie said his run at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre earlier this year felt technically very similar to his breakthrough effort of 10.01 at the Olympics.

Rohan Browning racing Fred Kerley.
Rohan Browning finished second behind Fred Kerley (pictured middle) at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix. (Photo by Kenta Harada/Getty Images)

Fred Kerley doubles down on fastest man tag

Kerley claimed silver in the 100m Tokyo Olympics and was in cruise control on the weekend for the final stretch of the race as he powered past the field in Japan. The American broke the meeting record in the heats with a faster time of 9.88.

The current champion has enjoyed a strong start to his athletics season having won both the 100m and 200m races in Melbourne and Doha this year. Kerley was confident after the race ahead of his showdown with Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs next week.

"I'm the fastest man in the world. No doubt about it," a confident Kerley said ahead of the Olympics 100m final rematch with Jacobs in the Diamond League.

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