Engineered for speed: how Lachie Kennedy’s UQ studies are supporting his sprinting success

But to Lachie Kennedy, Australia’s fastest man, it’s a game of precision.

Every stride is calculated, every millisecond critical. That’s where his engineering mind takes over.

“I wouldn’t say I’m crunching numbers while I’m running,” Kennedy said.

“But I'm definitely a numbers person. I like looking at the stats and seeing where I can be better – in both my sprinting and my studies.

“In order to be elite, you’ve got to be able to go back, to watch, take notes, improve each rep, improve each session and improve each race.”

The 21-year-old is studying a dual degree in Engineering and Commerce at The University of Queensland.

“I was always decent at maths and engineering was one of my better subjects, so it just felt like a pretty natural progression,” he said.

A juggling act

Juggling the books and the blocks hasn’t always been easy.

The 2025 UQ Sportsman of the Year estimates he’s spent about half the year competing overseas.

Thanks to his Sports Achievement Scholarship and the University’s flexible support, he’s been able to balance both his sporting and academic pursuits.

“It’s all about time management. You’ve got to be organised, plan ahead and stay on top of your stuff,” Kennedy said.

“The University has been really accommodating, allowing me to defer exams and to get extra help when needed.”

And it’s a partnership that’s paying off.

Breaking the barrier

The Brisbane-based athlete earned a silver medal in the 60m at the 2025 World Indoor Championships, setting the Australian record at 6.43 seconds.

In May, Lachie broke the elusive 10-second barrier in Kenya making him the second Australian ever to legally go sub-10 in the 100m, smashing out a 9.98 seconds – a dream milestone for any sprinter.

“To do that at a young age, and not in the best environmental conditions, just shows how much faster I can go and how much better I can get,” Kennedy said.

“I know I’ll do it again, even faster.”

Growing up in Queensland, Kennedy was more focused on rugby than racing.

“I played footy like every kid at my school. I was good with the ball in hand and not so much without it,” Kennedy said.

“I hated tackling. But I was always the fastest and eventually, the coaches told me to try track.

“I ran my first 100m race in Year 11 and clocked the fastest time at school and from there, it just took off.”

Fast forward a few years and Kennedy’s name is now part of a thrilling new chapter in Australian sprinting.

Today, he is drawing crowds and media attention with the likes of other household sprinting names, Torrie Lewis (100m) and Gout Gout (200m, 100m).

“I think we’re having a bit of a golden age of sprinting,” he said.

“People are showing up to meets, we’re getting world-class results and the depth of talent across sprints, distance and field events is insane.

“We’ve always had it – we’re just finally being seen.”

On track for a home ground Olympics

As the 2023 Olympics in Brisbane approach – but with time on the young athlete’s side – Kennedy knows the opportunity to inspire and perform on home soil is something special.

“Running in front of a home crowd would be incredible,” he said.

“I think it’ll be one of the best Games ever and I want to be ready.”

For now, all eyes are on Tokyo for the upcoming World Championships in September.

“My next race will be faster,” Kennedy said.

“I’ve got a good support crew around me with my coach, my strength and conditioning coach, my squad, my physio. They all take good care of me and the results show.

“I've been running PB's pretty much every time I race so it's been an incredible season so far.”

Long term, the goal isn’t just to break the Australian record – it’s to set a benchmark that’s tough to beat for years to come.

“Records are meant to be broken. But I want to make it really hard,” Kennedy said.

“I want to put Aussie sprinting on the map in a way no one can ignore.”