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Aussie sprinter shocks the world in 100m stunner at Olympics

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·4-min read
Rohan Browning, pictured here winning his 100m heat at the Tokyo Olympics.
Rohan Browning won his 100m heat at the Tokyo Olympics. Image: Channel 7/Getty

Aussie young gun Rohan Browning shocked the athletics world at the Olympics on Saturday night after winning his 100m heat with a personal best time.

Browning clocked an incredible time of 10.01 seconds on Saturday night to move into second spot on the Australian all-time list.

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The only Aussie sprinter to have gone faster is Patrick Johnson, who ran 9.93 back in 2003.

Browning burst out of the blocks in lane one and never looked like being beaten.

The 23-year-old from Sydney left the likes of 2011 world champion Yohan Blake from Jamaica trailing in his wake.

And vowing to go even faster, Browning is gunning for "finals and beyond".

"There's more to pull out of myself. I can definitely be pushed a bit more," Browning said after booking his place in the semi-final.

"It's the one thing I've probably been lacking on the Australian circuit. I've been patient this year.

"I've just been training and racing in Australia and I've been dying for a bit of world-class competition.

"It feels good to take a few scalps early on. I've wanted to get him (Blake) for a long time. All the world's best guys are on my hit-list.

"When you're in lane one, you don't get a personalised introduction and I was definitely trying to harness a bit of that underdog spirit today.

"I doubt any of these guys would have any idea who I am."

Rohan Browning, pictured here qualifying fifth-fastest for the 100m semi-finals.
Rohan Browning qualified fifth-fastest for the 100m semi-finals. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

Rohan Browning leaves athletics world in shock

Canada's Andre de Grasse topped the time sheets with 9.91, with Browning equal-fifth fastest qualifier for Sunday's semis.

And the Aussie upstart is putting no limits on what he can achieve if he gets through to the final late on Sunday evening.

"Without a doubt - finals and beyond," he said.

"There were a lot of media pundits writing up really well-meaning stories about how great it would be for me to make a final.

"But I've never been here to just to make the final.

"No matter what the bookies say, or the pundits or the punters, I hope there are a few more believers tonight.

"I'm taking it round by round but hopefully I've put a few people on notice now."

No Australian man has qualified for an Olympic 100m final since Hec Hogan won bronze in Melbourne in 1956.

There was a huge scare for pre-race favourite Trayvon Bromell from the US, with the man tipped to take up Usain Bolt's mantle only scraping into the semis after finishing fourth in his heat in 10.05.

with AAP

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