Eddie Nketia Runs Faster Than Any Australian Ever at 9.84s

Eddie Nketia blazed through 100 meters in 9.84 seconds at a California track meet, running faster than any Australian in history. The wind had other plans for the record books.

The 24-year-old's incredible time won't count as an official national record because the tailwind measured 2.3 meters per second, just over the legal limit of 2.0. But Nketia still shattered Patrick Johnson's "all conditions" Australian record of 9.88 seconds set back in 2003, proving the speed is real.

Nketia finished second at the Mt SAC Relays in Walnut, California, just behind American Jelani Watkins who ran 9.82 seconds. He immediately posted "Australian record soon" on Instagram, making his intentions crystal clear.

His journey to wearing green and gold only began in December when he switched his allegiance from New Zealand to Australia. That move meant leaving behind a legacy he built across the Tasman as a four-time national champion and the current New Zealand record holder at 10.08 seconds.

The record he set for New Zealand in 2022 came with extra meaning. Nketia broke his father Augustine's 28-year-old mark, keeping the national record in the family after years of chasing it.

Why This Inspires

Speed runs deep in the Nketia bloodline. Augustine, known as Gus, switched from representing Ghana to New Zealand in 1991 and reached the final of the 1994 Commonwealth Games.

When Eddie finally broke his father's record, he shared heartfelt words about the times he wanted to quit. "There was times I wanted to quit but deep down we all know you and I would've been disappointed that it wasn't me who broke the record like you wanted me to," he wrote.

Now he's part of a surging wave of Australian sprinting talent that includes rising stars Lachlan Kennedy and teenage sensation Gout Gout. Nketia has already earned his first Australian national team spot in the 4x100m squad for the World Athletics Relays in Botswana next month.

With Australia experiencing a golden era in sprinting, Nketia's emergence adds another dimension to a team chasing Olympic glory. His wind-aided run shows the official record is well within reach when conditions cooperate.