“Magnificent mullet man”: Support for downed hero Rohan Browning
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A slow start in the semi-finals of the Olympic 100-metre sprint has cost Rohan Browning the chance to become the first Australian man to qualify for the Olympic finals in 65 years.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Browning secured his spot in the semi-final with a personal best of 10.01 seconds, pushing him into the spotlight ahead of Sunday’s race.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the 23-year-old was unable to replicate his success in the final, with a slow start forcing him to play catch-up from the start.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Britain’s Zharnel Hughes took out the gold in 9.98 seconds, with Nigeria’s Enoch Olaoluwa Adegoke and America’s Trayvon Bromwell tying at 10.0 seconds.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following Browning’s loss, support for his effort poured out from Aussies back home who were proud of his achievements in Tokyo and excited to see what his future holds.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr">not gonna make the final but hell of an effort from Rohan Browning to become the 2nd fastest Australian ever and the fastest ever at an <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a></p>
— Tom Hockman (@Tom_Hockman) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tom_Hockman/status/1421780452541566979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The sprinter has even earned a nickname among fans online, inspired by his wavy locks.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr">Gutted for Browning but we can streamline that mullet and get in that final in Paris, I just know it! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/100m?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#100m</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a></p>
— Holly Byrnes (@byrnesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/byrnesh/status/1421781743124680711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr">My magnificent mullet man 😭😭 incredible effort by Browning to get this far! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Olympics?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Olympics</a></p>
— Dani Brown (@itsdanibrown) <a href="https://twitter.com/itsdanibrown/status/1421780833032040452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2021</a></blockquote>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speaking to Channel 7 after the race, Browning said it was a “tough” competition.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I just never got out and then I had my work cut out for me. I feel like I came back well through the end of the race but I left myself with too much work to do and it is only 100 metres,” he said.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You know, I’ve been consistent this year, and I’ve been knocking on the door of sub-10, a big breakthrough. Hopefully it comes later in the year in Europe. I’ll definitely walk away from this experience with a lot learned.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I feel like this season I’ve had all the component parts of the race. It has been about putting it together in one run. And it is coming. But, you know, that’s part of figuring out the event and racing at this championship level.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I mean in 2019 I came 40th. I ran basically dead last in my heat at the World Championships, so I’m heading in the right direction.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite being outpaced in the semi-final, Browning has become the second fastest Australian sprinter, coming behind Patrick Johnson’s 9.93-second record from 2003.</span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Rohan Browning / Instagram</span></em></p>
