Australia's newest sprint star Eddie Nketia will not make his green-and-gold debut just yet, despite his headline-grabbing 100m record last month. The 24-year-old became the country's fastest ever in all conditions when he ran a wind-assisted 9.84 seconds at a US college meet. However, he will not get the chance to replicate that form for Australia at this weekend's world relays in Botswana after missing the final six-man team for the 4x100m event.
Team Selection and Nketia's Absence
Lachlan Kennedy headlines the group also featuring Rohan Browning, Josh Azzopardi, Calab Law, Chris Ius, and Jai Gordon. Nketia, who last year switched allegiances from New Zealand, where he was born, to Australia, where he was raised, failed to make the cut from the initial squad alongside Jacob Despard and Connor Bond.
Australia made the 4x100m final at last year's world athletics championships but failed to finish after a botched last change. Nketia has previously shared his hope to win relay medals for Australia among other goals in his career. "My goal is to put a name out there," he said. "Of course I want to achieve an Olympic gold medal but, like, any medal will do — not just individuals but for the relays as well. It would be a beautiful thing to bring to the green and gold."
Future Prospects and Rivalry
Nketia appears set to still be in action this weekend for the University of Southern California. Hopes are high that the sprinter will continue to rise and improve on his legal personal best of 10.08 from 2022. "I hope he can put it all together and then come back to Aus sometime eventually, come run some races against me," Kennedy told 7NEWS after Nketia's 9.84 run. "We talk all the time, like, yeah, he's a funny dude, great bloke." "I want him to move fast, he wants me to move fast. And we're always talking about the first time we're going to run against each other."
Men's 4x400m Team
Meanwhile, 45-second men Reece Holder, Aidan Murphy, and Cooper Sherman lead the 4x400m team as they seek to bounce back from heartbreak at last year's world championships. Sherman, Holder, Murphy, and Tom Reynolds smashed a 41-year-old national record but they were disqualified for a line breach and the time was wiped, ruling them out of the final. The quartet will be joined by Zane Branco, Matthew Hunt, and Luke van Ratingen for the world relays tilt in Botswana. "I'm proud to take it on and with the squad we have, I think we can put together something really strong in Botswana," Murphy said.
Women's Teams
On the women's side, Torrie Lewis and newly crowned champion Georgia Harris lead the 4x100m team alongside Olivia Dodds, Monique Hanlon, Olivia Hastings, Ebony Lane, Chloe Mannix-Power, and Lakara Stallan. "I'm really excited to be here with the team. There's a great energy around the group and everyone is just focussed on executing when it counts," Harris said. "It's a special opportunity to represent Australia, so I'm just looking forward to getting out there and competing."
The 4x400m team features Ellie Beer, Carla Bull, Sarah Carli, Alice Dixon, Mia Gross, Alexia Loizou, and Alanah Yukich.
Mixed Relay Events and Qualifying
Australia's men and women will also combine to race in mixed 4x100m and 4x400m events. The top 12 teams in all events will qualify for the 2027 world athletics championships. The top six teams in the mixed races will also qualify for the inaugural ultimate championship taking place in September.
