Australian star Lachlan Kennedy has added another stunning chapter to his rivalry with Gout Gout, taking down the national record holder again in the 200m at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne.
The 22-year-old completed the 100m-200m double for the second successive year at Lakeside Stadium in front of almost 10,000 fans.
Many of those were there to see teen sensation Gout, but again it was fellow Queenslander Kennedy who stole the show.
Kennedy made the most of a hot start to win the 200m in 20.38, with a fast-finishing Gout (20.43) second across the line and Kiwi Tommy Te Puni (20.73) third.
‘I knew I had to hit it hard and just pray and hold on, and I was able to do it tonight,’ Kennedy said.
‘I’m pretty cooked. It was my first 100 of the season, second 200, second comp – it’s a good start.’
Pictured: The moment Lachlan Kennedy (right) just pips Gout Gout to the post in their 200m clash at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on Saturday night
It’s the second time Gout has fallen to Kennedy (pictured together) in the 200m
Gout appeared to slip a little in the opening stages after rain, which had held off for most of the three-hour meet, started falling just minutes before the start of the main event.
‘It was very rocky,’ Gout said of his start.
‘It is what it is. It’s a bit wet, but there’s things you learn and things you’ve got to focus on.’
The Queensland pair are set to face off again at the national championships in Sydney in a fortnight.
‘Today, he had the ‘W’ but next time I’ll be better, for sure,’ Gout said.
‘He’s a Queensland guy and a good friend of mine, so congratulations to him.
‘But I’ll be back, for sure.’
Gout looked just about gone at the top of the straight but produced a strong finish to push Kennedy all the way.
After the race, Gout said he was looking forward to clashing with Kennedy again at the national championships in two weeks’ time
Gout had a horrible start after slipping in the wet conditions but powered home to trail Kennedy by just .05 of a second
A couple of hours earlier, Kennedy broke Jamaican legend Asafa Powell’s meet record to win the 100m.
Kennedy clocked 10.03 (+0.3) to beat former world record holder Powell’s 2008 Melbourne time by 0.01 secs, with Rohan Browning (10.25) second and Kiwi Tiaan Whelpton (10.29) third.
Another rising star of Australian track and field, Cameron Myers, won the John Landy 1500m in dominant fashion.
The 19-year-old Myers stormed away with a blistering final lap to post the fastest 1500m time by anyone on Australian soil – 3:30.42.
Adam Spencer (3:37.51) was second and Callum Davies (3:39.03) was third, while a collision behind the leaders took out three competitors.
‘It’s awesome,’ Myers said of his scintillating run.
‘I haven’t really been able to do too much speed work because I cooked my hammy in training.
‘But I had the crowd behind me and I felt good, so I just kept pushing onwards.’
Olympic champion Nina Kennedy took her comeback from an injury-wrecked 2025 up a level by clearing a meet-record 4.72m off a modified run-up to win the women’s pole vault.
Nicola Olyslagers cleared 1.95m to win the women’s high jump and fellow Olympic medallist Matt Denny (67.51m) won the men’s discus.
Two-time Olympian Michelle Jenneke won a tight women’s 100m hurdles in 13.05 (+1.2) ahead of Emily Britton (13.07) and Celeste Mucci (13.08).
Seth O’Donnell put a huge early gap on the field in an extraordinary men’s 3000m race, breaking at least 50m clear of his rivals, but was eventually hauled in by Jackson Sharp (7:41.02) on the line.
Sharp’s blistering finish meant he shaved 0.36 secs off the previous meet record and relegated O’Donnell (7:41.11) to second, with Melbourne-based Irishman Brian Fay (7:42.85) third.
American star Jacory Patterson also set a meet record by winning the men’s 400m in 44.41, ahead of locals Luke van Ratingen (45.03) and Tom Reynolds (45.13).
Melburnian 20-year-old Claudia Hollingsworth (4:01.30) produced a stunning women’s 1500m display, making her move in the back straight and holding off a challenge from world indoor champion Georgia Hunter Bell (4:01.52) in a huge upset.
Rose Davies claimed the women’s 3000m in 8:45.13 ahead of Maudie Skyring (8:47.05) and national record holder Georgia Griffith (8:48.00).
Luke Boyes made a statement with his strong men’s 800m win in 1:45.21 ahead of 18-year-old Daniel Williams (1:46.16) and Dutch runner Tony van Diepen (1:46.19).
Three-time world championships semifinalist Sarah Carli pulled clear to win the women’s 400m hurdles (56.08) and Olympic finalist Connor Murphy won the men’s triple-jump (15.88m).
