The Aussie men’s 4x400m relay team have made an opponent pay for taunting them in a moment of instant karma at the World Athletics Relays event in Botswana.
Batswana star Collen Kebinatshipi turned and appeared to taunt and direct words at Matthew Hunt as he chased the Aussie down during their heat on Saturday.
However, Kebinatshipi and his teammate made a mess of the baton exchange just seconds later to finish behind the green and gold team, who set a national record as they placed first in the heat.
Hunt, Reece Holder, Luke van Ratingen and Aidan Murphy got home in a time of 2:57.30 to smash the old Aussie record, which had stood for 42 years.
‘Everyone is feeling unreal. The team is strong and the time has always been there, it’s just been about getting the race done,’ Holder said.
‘We’re still a young team and we have many years to come, so we’ll just be lowering that time down.
Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi (circled) taunted Australia’s Matthew Hunt (second from right) during the men’s 4x400m heat at the World Athletics Relays event
The Botswana team got a swift comeuppance as the Aussies stormed to victory (pictured)
Hunt and his teammates Reece Holder, Luke van Ratingen and Aidan Murphy (pictured) got home in a time of 2:57.30 to smash the old Aussie record, which had stood for 42 years
‘All I can say right now is – we’re hot.’
The Australian 4x100m team, including sub 10-second man Lachlan Kennedy, equalled the national record on a big day for the runners from Down Under.
Kennedy, Joshua Azzopardi, Christopher Ius and evergreen anchor leg runner Rohan Browning stopped the clock at 37.87 seconds – good enough for third spot in the heat and a berth in the final on Sunday (Monday AEST).
‘I think we’ll go really well tomorrow. That’s just the standard now that we want to be competing for medals each year, and I think that tomorrow we can all go a little bit faster,’ Kennedy said.
‘We have a real red-hot chance, but we have to back it up. Rohan man, he’s still got it.’
Kennedy, Azzopardi and Ius – along with Calab Law – clocked the same time at last year’s Sydney Track Classic.
The result in Botswana also guaranteed Australia a spot in the men’s 4x100m at next year’s athletics world championships in Beijing, by which time Gout Gout and Kiwi-turned-Aussie Eddie Nketia could also be in the frame.
Another Aussie record was also beaten at the track in Gaborone.
Cooper Sherman, Ellie Beer, Thomas Reynolds and Mia Gross lowered the Australian mixed 4x400m relay record to 3:12.20.
Australia’s 4x100m women team headed by Torrie Lewis were disqualified for an illegal change in the heats but will return on Sunday for another shot at qualifying for the 2027 world championships.
