Kiwi sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia in action at the world athletics championships. Photo / Supplied
Kiwi sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia in action at the world athletics championships. Photo / Supplied
A spot in the 100m semifinals of the world championships wasn't the only prize Eddie Osei-Nketia earned with the run of his life in Oregon today.
The Kiwi sprinter broke the national record with a time of 10.08 seconds in the heats at Hayward Field, edging the previous New Zealandmark of 10.11s set by his father Gus 28 years ago.
Osei-Nketia will now race in a star-studded semifinal tomorrow, but in the meantime has a new title to celebrate.
"I'm not going to lie, it feels good beating my old man's record," Osei-Nketia told Newstalk ZB. "Like, now I'm the man of the house and I can tease him about it so much.
"But in all seriousness, it feels so good. When you're putting so much time in and so much work in, these are the results you get. I'm just overwhelmed.
"It's just beautiful for a son to take over his father's record."
Osei-Nketia spoke to his dad after finishing second in his heat, revelling in the chance to remind Gus that he had long joked his son would never best the time he ran at the 1994 Commonwealth Games.
"He was just proud of me - but I bet he was also a bit torn up that his own son beat his record," the 21-year-old laughed. "But he told me that the job's not done and we'll have to go out and do it again tomorrow."
New Zealander Edward Osei-Nketia (10.08) got emotional talking to me about breaking his father’s long standing 100m national record. Gus Nketia set the record (10.11) in the 1994 Commonwealth Games after switching to New Zealand. Osei-Nketia is through to the semis. #Oregon2022pic.twitter.com/5iSefbTDDB
Tomorrow will be only the second time a Kiwi sprinter has raced in the 100m semifinals of a world championships, after Gus did so in Gothenberg in 1995. And Osei-Nketia knows he may have to set more history if he wishes to reach the final.
Kiwi sprinter Eddie Osei-Nketia in action at the world athletics championships. Photo / Getty
The Kiwi will be racing alongside defending world champion Christian Coleman and Olympic silver medallist Fred Kerley, an American pair Osei-Nketia plans to attempt to keep close.
Kerley in particular has shown he is in prodigious form, qualifying top from the heats in 9.79s, the fastest heat time ever run at a major championships.
"They're both known to have very great starts and very good finishes," Osei-Nketia said. "My goal is just to stick with Fred Kerley, because he's going to get a jump on me.
"I just need to stick with him for the first 30 and stay stuck with him throughout after the 30 metres. So hopefully I get a good time."
Regardless of his next result, Osei-Nketia was especially pleased to have sent a "statement" after controversially missing selection for the Commonwealth Games. His time of 10.08s would have been good enough for silver in 2018.
"It was an unreal day - it almost feels like a dream," he said. "It's such a beautiful experience running in the USA. The track was so extremely fast and I'm just grateful to be here."
Osei-Nketia wasn't the only Kiwi to enjoy a good day in Oregon. Maddison-Lee Wesche, Tom Walsh and Jacko Gill all progressed safely through to the shot put final, while Olivia McTaggart also advanced in the pole vault.
But high jumper Hamish Kerr - who finished 10th at the Tokyo Olympics - bowed out in the heats after managing only 2.25m, 6cm below his personal best.
