Eddie Nketia could be Australia’s best ever sprinter after clocking a time to eclipse Lachlan Kennedy and Gout Gout’s best
He’s better than Noah Lyles. Not exactly Usain Bolt. He’s built like Asafa Powell. Dubbed the Incredible Hulk and capable of winning world championships and Olympic gold, Eddie Nketia can be anything.
Not only is he the best Australian sprinter ever, he could be one of the best in the world, according to his university coach.
American athletes tread a fine line on hyperbole, but college coach Brenton Emanuel was emphatic about the potential of Nketia, who a week ago ran faster than any Australian in all conditions.
With the wind at his back, Nketia ran the 100 meters in 9.84 seconds, faster than national record holder Patrick Johnson’s legal 9.93 seconds and Johnson’s all-conditions best time of 9.88 seconds.
Just weeks away from his 25th birthday, Nketiah, stunned by the “crazy” time, now thinks he can get under 9.7 seconds.
His coach has no doubt about it. Emanuel, or Coach E as he was known at the University of Southern California, where he was an assistant coach, wasn’t talking about Eddie. will Be the best thing the world has ever seen. After all, there was Usain Bolt. But he was saying he could be better than anyone the world has ever seen right now. And if that happens, Nketia will do it wearing green and gold.
Nketia, not to be confused with former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, the son of the New Zealand national sprint champion, grew up in Canberra but until a few years ago he moved to New Zealand and started running for the country where he lived most of his life.
“I can probably go to 9.7, low 9.7, who knows. I just need to work and the time will come. I need to keep working to finish but that will come with the race,” Nketia said.
“The Commonwealth Games (in Glasgow) will be my first opportunity to represent Australia and it really makes me excited to finally wear the green and gold jersey.
“The Commonwealth Games and helping Australia medal in the relay – that will be one of my priorities and being there for Australia on the big stage is also important to me.
“There’s the LA Olympics in two years and my goal is to get my name out there. I hope to win a gold medal, but any medal would help, not just for the individual but also for the relay. It would be a nice thing to get to the green and gold.”
“I love the Australian sprint team. The talent is there. We just need to be together in camp. I can’t wait to get together. That’s when we’ll be dangerous, especially the relay team. It’s going to be great; three of the fastest in Australia at the moment. Great.”
Coach E says the illegal wind that pushed Nketia to 9.84 is unimportant because he is just starting out and his potential has yet to be tapped.
The boy, who can effortlessly squat 180 kilos as if getting up from a chair, calls him the “Incredible Hulk” and compares his physique among sprinters to only former world champion Asafa Powell.
“I think he could definitely be the best team-mate ever from Australia. He’s got some pretty good team-mates too, so they could be the best in the world. They (Australian sprinters Lachie Kennedy and Gout Gout) have been doing that lately. I wouldn’t say he could be one of the best ever, to be honest – and we’ve talked about this with Coach Watts on our staff, a former Olympian as well. I wouldn’t say he’ll be the best in the world because obviously, Usain Bolt was an anomaly, but Eddie has a long history in athletics.” I think he has a career.
“He has potential. I can’t guarantee something like that, but I think he can give those guys (American Noah Lyles and Jamaican Oblique Seville, Kishane Thompson) a run for their money.
“The things I see in practice every day, he’s very strong, he’s very strong. I can’t think of anyone else with his build, maybe Asafa Powell is like that, then he brings something different to the table and I think he could be one of the best.”
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Michael Gleeson is an award-winning senior sports writer specializing in AFL and athletics.Connect with: X or email.
