Australian sprinter Josh Azzopardi unloaded on national selectors, saying he was “absolutely robbed” after he missed out on selection in the men’s 100 metres at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
Australian Athletics finalised its 86-strong team headed to Glasgow next month yesterday with Rohan Browning, Lachlan Kennedy and Eddie Nketia selected for the 100m.
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Teenage sprint sensation Gout Gout chose to forgo a Commonwealth Games debut to focus on the Under 20 World Championships.
While Kennedy and Nketia have shone in recent times with the latter becoming the fastest man over 100 metres in all conditions in Australian history by running a 9.84 at a US college meet in April.
The former New Zealand representative bettered that mark in May with a 9.74 helped by a very strong +5.6mps tailwind.
The Canberra-raised sprinter will now make his debut in the green and gold after abandoning New Zealand due to selection and resource problems as well as having a stint away from the sport to play American football at the University of Southern California.
“I’m hoping to achieve a legal sub-10 [in Glasgow], but I would love to just see if I could go 9.8 in cold conditions because that will show something,” Nketia told nine.com.au.
“I’ve got my eyes on medalling, but I ain’t going to try and pay attention to that; I’m just going to focus on the execution for it to happen.”
With Kennedy and Nketia all but certain to make the team, Azzopardi believes he should have pipped Browning for the third spot.
Azzopardi appealed the decision to the National Sports Tribunal, arguing his results were superior to Browning’s in the qualifying period.
Neither Azzopardi or Browning, who made the semi-finals at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, hit the automatic selection time of 10.00 seconds.
But Azzopardi bested Browning in the 100m final at the national championships in April.
Kennedy took out the national title with a time of 9.96, while Azzopardi came second (10.16) and Browning rounded out the podium places (10.19).
That was Browning’s fastest time in the qualifying period.
Azzopardi, meanwhile, went quicker at another meet clocking a 10.09.
But Browning boasts a better personal best – 10.01 compared to 10.09.
Ultimately, the 26-year-old’s appeal failed and he took to social media to vent his outrage.
“I feel absolutely robbed to have not been given a 100m selection,” Azzopardi said in an Instagram post.
“The reasonings I still don’t completely understand after a consistent and what I would say a successful domestic season.
“Disappointed with how the outcome has been reached.
“To everyone in and out of the athletics community who have reached out, I appreciate your support always and from the vibe of the messages and calls I think everyone knows what the decision should’ve been…”
Any animosity between Azzopardi and Browning will need to evaporate before Glasgow, however, as they were both selected on the 4x100m relay team.
Curiously, Nketia was left out of the five-man team – which also includes Kennedy, Calab Law and Christopher Ius.
His inability to train with his fellow Australians due to being based in the US reportedly led to the decision.
The 25-year-old also missed the World Relays Championship in May where Kennedy, Azzopardi, Ius and Browning came fourth – South Africa were the only Commonwealth country to finish ahead of the Australians.
Nketia is set to be on standby in Scotland if needed.
“It would have been awesome to be selected [for the relay team], but then again, I got selected for the 100m, and I’m thinking I’m going to concentrate on the 100m,” Nketia said.
“If anything changes, then who knows?
“I’m just happy to support the boys in green and gold, but honestly, we’ll just take it one day at a time.
“I don’t know much information about that [not getting picked on the relay team], but whatever happens, happens.
“I’m just purely proud of the boys, of what they’ve come through, especially from Botswana at the world relay championships [in May].”
Azzopardi’s saga is the latest under the watch of Australian Athletics chairman of selectors Peter Hamilton.
The decision to not select Lisa Weightman for the women’s marathon was contentious in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Now, Azzopardi has become the latest athlete to take a shot at those in charge.
“It’s hard to reconcile that people who sit in a room and determine these selections can control your future when they don’t know what it’s taken to get to the present moment,” he said.
“To everyone who was involved with my appeal process, can’t thank you enough as it’s [sic] was a crazy time with added stresses,” Azzopardi added.
“Nevertheless, the 4×100 squad in Glasgow is ready to [chef emoji] and can’t wait to see what that has in store for us all. Always an honour to wear the green and gold.
“Running fast soon.”
Hamilton appeared on The Call Room podcast to explain various decisions following the announcement of the Commonwealth Games team.
“There are three spots in the 100 metres, and they were the last ones we looked at,” he replied when asked about the Browning-Azzopardi call.
“How do we pick each one? We discuss each one on their merits: what their performances have been historically and how far apart they were.
“As you said, he finished in front of Browning at the nationals, but we’re talking 0.03 of a second, so the differences aren’t huge.
“In the end, it’s a gut call from the team to pick those who we believe are going to be most successful there.”
Hamilton was then asked if selectors focused more on head-to-head match-ups or careers holistically when making such tough calls.
“Well, the reality is we have to do both, and we do,” he said.
“It really depends on where you want to draw the line on head-to-head records. Is it this year? Is it the last two years? Or the last three years? You get different results depending on where you draw the line.
“That’s the thing with statistics – you can make them support whichever argument you want to make.
“But at the end of the day, it comes down to who we think can do the job on the day.”
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