‘I can win’: Kennedy sprints into another Games final
Shayne Hope |
Australian star Lachie Kennedy’s dream of multiple individual Commonwealth Games medals in Glasgow is alive after the red-hot sprinter surged into the 200m final.
Kennedy set a national 100m record while claiming silver at Scotstoun Stadium and has backed up by squeezing through the 200m semi-finals.
The 22-year-old stopped the clock at 20.12 seconds in the outside lane, finishing third in his heat and missing an automatic qualifying spot.
But he was also third fastest across all heats, which was enough to progress to the final.
Fellow Australians Calab Law (20.60) and Aidan Murphy (20.70) didn’t fare so well, eliminated in their semi-finals.
South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile (19.82) and Canada’s Aaron Brown (19.90), who finished first and second in Kennedy’s heat, were the only semi-final runners under 20 seconds.
Before the Games, Kennedy declared the 100m was his majority priority, freely admitting he is “not as invested” in his other sprint events.
But the man who won Australia’s first Commonwealth men’s sprint medal since 1962 is now eyeing more hardware with a 200m final and 4x100m relay ahead on the program.
“It all depends on the conditions, but I definitely think I can win. That’s for sure,” Kennedy said.
“I don’t know about times. Like, time is so dependent on conditions, but I think I’ve got what it takes to win.
“But there’s some good guys up there, man. So I’m gonna have to be at my best.”
Kennedy’s heat was run in a +2.3m/s wind, which he felt was the only reason his personal best (20.26) out of reach.
“Proper headwind at the start,” he said.
“Felt real rough coming out those blocks, but just tried to come up, get into my running and just try hold on.
“If the wind was a bit less strong, probably would have been a PB.
“So hopefully, if I get a legal wind tomorrow, it should be a PB. We’ll just see how we go.”
Kennedy admits his busy schedule is “tiring” but isn’t fazed.
“It’s a lot of races, but that’s championship running,” he said.
“I plan on doing multiple 100s and 200s at all majors in the future, so I gotta get used to it.”
AAP