Rohan Browning and Torrie Lewis delivered clutch performances in Perth, upstaging a new generation of rising stars by clinching the men’s and women’s 100m national titles in nail-biting photo finishes. The drama unfolded at the WA Athletics Stadium on Saturday, with both finals decided by margins of mere thousandths of a second.
Women’s 100m: Lewis Holds Off O’Brien and Rizzo
The women’s 100m final featured a heart-stopping three-way finish. National record-holder Torrie Lewis clocked 11.24 seconds to narrowly defeat 17-year-old Leah O’Brien by just four thousandths of a second, while Bree Rizzo finished one hundredth of a second behind. The moment the result was confirmed, Lewis leapt into the air and performed a pirouette in celebration.
“It feels amazing,” said Lewis. “After Maurie [Plant], I just did not want to run, like, ‘This is going to be horrible’. But I’m just really glad I was able to find something.”
O’Brien, who emerged as one of the event’s surprise stars, said she was nervous leading up to the race. “I’m so grateful to be here, because last year I came eighth in the final, or ninth actually, so to improve by that much is just insane.”
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Rizzo, who dipped at the line but tumbled and grazed her shoulder, was edged out in the final moments.
Men’s 100m: Browning Reclaims the Crown
In the men’s event, 27-year-old Rohan Browning edged out 21-year-old Lachie Kennedy by just five thousandths of a second. Both were officially timed at 10.01 seconds, matching Browning’s personal best set four years ago at the Tokyo Olympics. The victory marked a return to form for Browning, who has battled injury setbacks in recent years.
“Tonight was all about experience,” Browning said. “I knew not to get sucked into running Lachie’s race because he’s going to get out well. I just had to focus on myself. There might have only been a handful of people in the stadium tonight to believe that was possible, but you only need to believe in yourself.”
Browning also addressed criticism he faced during his recovery. “There’s a lot of short memories in this sport, but I really couldn’t believe how many people came out of the woodwork to knock me last year. But I’m fully healthy now, really confident in my knee and just really keen for the year ahead.”
Kennedy, who ran just one hundredth of a second off his personal best set in the heats, gave credit to Browning. “I missed my start a bit, my transition wasn’t as good as what I liked it – but credit to Rohan, he ran a great race, he put his PB. It just goes to show the amount of talent we’ve got here in the sport right now.”
Hull, Myers, and Others Shine in Distance and Field Events
The night also saw standout performances in middle-distance and field events. Paris silver medallist Jess Hull showcased her experience in the women’s 1500m final, overcoming a slow early pace to beat Sarah Billings. “I was like, ‘No, I just got to back my speed.’ My speed is better than I think it is, and I just had to hold my nerve out there,” Hull said.
In the men’s 1500m, 18-year-old Cameron Myers outlasted Adam Spencer and Olli Hoare in a tight finish. “I got to 500 to go, and I didn’t quite have the gap that I knew I probably needed to have,” Myers said. “Dick [Telford], my coach, said I’ve got to have a gap on the field by about two, three meters with 300 to go, because these guys can kick pretty hard. I knew I didn’t have that, but I was able to hold on.”
Other Results: Dominance in 400m and Pole Vault
Ellie Beer and Cooper Sherman emerged victorious in the 400m finals. In the field events, Olivia Gross secured the women’s pole vault title in the absence of Paris gold medallist Nina Kennedy, who missed the championships due to recent hamstring surgery.
Looking Ahead: All Eyes on Gout in the 200m
As the championships wrap up on Sunday, one of the most anticipated events will be the men’s 200m featuring teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout. Having opted to run in the under-20 category for the 100m, expectations are high as he steps onto the senior stage in the 200m final.
With several thrilling performances already in the books, the final day promises more excitement and the emergence of new national heroes.
