‘He was stunned’: Coach’s surprising remark on Lachlan Kennedy’s sub-10 performance

Both Browning and Kennedy recorded times of 10.01 seconds, yet in a tense photo finish, Browning’s time was clocked at 10.01 (.001), while Kennedy’s was recorded at 10.01 (.006).

Browning’s victory margin mirrored the difference between gold medallist Noah Lyles and silver medallist Kishane Thompson at the previous year’s Paris Olympics.

Securing second place at the nationals, a mere .005 seconds short, impacted Kennedy profoundly.

“Victories are rewarding,” Iselin remarked about his desire for Browning to surpass his protégé. “However, experiencing that loss propels you to strive for improvement.”

The 21-year-old Kennedy had enjoyed notable successes in the months leading up to the national championships.

In March, he unexpectedly claimed a silver medal in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in China, and shortly after, he bested emerging star Gout Gout in an unforgettable 200m race in Melbourne.

The sprinter from Brisbane also captured several national titles in the 100m and 60m events and shattered Matt Shirvington’s national record for the 60m.

In Iselin’s view, a setback would serve Kennedy well.

“He didn’t need a loss to humble him, but it was necessary for him to understand he had to go back and reassess,” Iselin pointed out.

“When you’re consistently victorious, it’s easy to feel invincible.

“His confidence is strong, but he carries no arrogance. His parents have raised him well.

“I wanted him to gain insight from a different angle. Victories can create a false sense of perfection in one’s mind, whereas a loss encourages a more critical re-evaluation.”

Just under two months after his heartbreaking defeat at the national championships, he sprinted through a 100m heat in 9.98 seconds while competing in the Kenyan capital.

This stellar performance marked him as the first Australian in 22 years, and only the second in history, to run a sub-10-second 100m under legal wind conditions.

He also clinched victory at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya, outperforming 19-year-old South African Bayanda Walaza, the reigning junior 100m and 200m world champion, and Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala, who secured gold in the 100m event at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Interestingly, Kennedy only learned of Iselin’s comments to Browning about wanting him to win after Wide World of Sports relayed the information to him this week, with his coach’s approval.

“I expect him to always challenge me,” Kennedy chuckled.

In the timeframe between the national championships and his record-setting run in Kenya, Kennedy also competed at the Stawell Gift, a Diamond League event, and the world relays.

“I don’t think I executed my race strategy well at nationals, and coming up short definitely ignited a fire within me,” he admitted.

“It compelled me to push harder and train with greater intensity.

“Rohan ran a fantastic race. Hat tip to him.”

Iselin observed a noticeable change in Kennedy following his national championships defeat.

“He definitely wanted it more intensely after that. Experiencing that disappointment left its mark on him,” he said.

“At the same time, he can be overly serious, so there’s a need to keep him grounded.”