Fast Eddie Smashes The New Zealand Men’s 100m Record

Kiwi sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia lit up day one of the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon by posting a blistering time of 10.08 (-0.3m/s) to better his father’s national men’s 100m record and advance through to the semi-finals.

The New Zealand champion made a slick start and was always prominent in a race which included Kenyan 9.77 sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala. Running in the seventh and final heat from lane two, the Kiwi maintained his form to the finish, placing second to chip 0.03 from his father, Gus’ 28-year-old national record set at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown took victory in the heat in 9.98 with Omanyala in 10.10 banking the third automatic qualification spot.

Eddie, who shaved 0.04 from his lifetime best, will next take to the track in a loaded second semi-finals at 1.07pm on Sunday. The top-class semi features six sub-10 second 100m sprinters. He is sandwiched in lane four between the fastest qualifier, Fred Kerley, who ran a blistering time of 9.79 in the heats to head the qualifiers and defending world champion Christian Coleman.

“I knew that if I was focused and my mind was in the race I could do well,” explains Eddie, 21. “I needed to perform well today in no matter what 10.1 or 10.0, it had to be this race.

“I wasn’t initially aware at first that I’d broken my dad’s record, I just knew I had made the semis that was my goal. But after seeing 10.08 I was so emotional, I was crying. Knowing what it had taken to get that time was emotional for me.

“Tomorrow I’m drawn between Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley. I know I have to have a good start and try to stay with them and then see what time I can get.”

Elsewhere, on a memorable afternoon session for the New Zealand team four athletes booked their final slots with the ever-reliable shot put contingent leading the way.

In the women’s shot put Maddi Wesche unleashed the fourth longest throw of her career to successfully secure an automatic qualification spot into Sunday’s final with an imperious display.

Competing in trademark Prada sunglasses, the 23-year-old Aucklander opened with a handy 18.64m and maintained her consistency with an 18.60m effort in round two. Sat relatively comfortably in the top 12 after two rounds, she made certain of her spot in the medal round with a mighty hurl of 18.96m to advance with the eight best throw.

As a measure of the quality of her performance the 18.96m was within 2cm of the distance she threw to finish sixth in last year’s Olympic final in Tokyo and loomed within 14cm of her lifetime best achieved when winning the New Zealand title in Hastings in March.

The qualification was topped by World and Olympic shot champion Lijiao Gong, the Chinese thrower powering the shot out to 19.51m.

New Zealand experienced more success in the men’s shot as both Tom Walsh and Jacko Gill comfortably both qualified for their fourth successive World Championship final.

Tom, the 2017 world champion and 2019 world bronze medallist, opened up with a slightly scratchy 20.81m before firing the metal orb out to 21.11m in round two. In the final round he exceeded the auto-qualifying standard of 21.20m with a handy final toss of 21.44m to advance the third best to Monday’s final.

Tom said of his qualification session: “I moved really well on the second and third throws, I just didn’t get through the ball, although I was really happy with how I was getting after it.

The first throw wasn’t very good, but the second and third throws were very good and can go a lot further. I just need to keep working on that freedom, moving well and getting a bit more through the ball into the finish.”

His fellow Kiwi and long-time rival Jacko Gill also impressed, earning safe passage into the final courtesy of his second round throw of 21.24m. The 27-year-old Aucklander registered a modest 20.16m in round one but will be delighted by his response to qualify automatically and in fifth overall.

Olympic champion and world record-holder Ryan Crouser topped the qualifiers as the US athlete powered the shot out to 22.28m.

Olivia McTaggart became the second New Zealand woman in history to reach a World Championship pole vault final to maintain her impressive year.

The 22-year-old Aucklander, who finished sixth in the World Indoor final in Belgrade in March, cleared 4.35m with her opening height before the bar was raised to 4.50m. Olivia had a red flag with her first attempt but responded by soaring clear with her second attempt to lock her place in the final.

The New Zealand champion, who cleared a PB of 4.65m when striking gold at the national championships in March advanced 9th best. Eight women had a perfect record up to an including 4.50m including Olympic champion Katie Nageotte.

“I think given the build up that I’ve had (a bout of Covid in the build-up) I’m pleased to make the final. I was out there having fun. I took three jumps and I just really happy with that outcome.

“The first couple of jumps were not so good but 4.50m has become my consistent jump, I’ve said that throughout the season.

“To get it at second attempt at the champs matters a lot. Technically I was on. I think there is a lot more there with another good tailwind.”

There was disappointment for Imogen Ayris in the women’s pole vault who unfortunately failed to clear her opening height of 4.20m. The 21-year-old Aucklander, a 4.50m vaulter at her best, will have the opportunity to a quick response when she lines up for New Zealand at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games next month.

“I’m disappointed with how things worked out, I’m angry more than anyone else but I think it hurts because training has been going really well,” she says. I have been clearing 4.50s comfortably in training and things were looking really promising but tonight I did not have that same feeling. It didn’t happen today, which sucks, but that is pole vault.”

Earlier, Quentin Rew – on the same day as his 38th New Zealand birthday (it is the 16 July here in New Zealand he competed on the 15th in the US) placed 35th in the men’s 20km race walk.

Competing at a record-equalling sixth World Championships for a New Zealander – to match the feat of the Dame Valerie Adams – Quentin picked up an early red card and passed halfway in 40th in a split of 43:45.

However, he enjoyed a solid second half of the race picking up a further five positions in the second half of the race recording 1:29:19. His next challenge will be the 10,000m track walk at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

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