Kiwi sprint sensation Eddie Osei-Nketia has reached the semi-finals of the world athletics championships, as well as setting a new New Zealand national record in the process.
Osei-Nketia ran a time of 10.08s in his heat at Oregon, USA, surpassing the previous record - 10.11s - hold by none other than father Gus in 1994.
The 21-year-old is only the second Kiwi male to reach the world championships semis, duplicating his dad's performance at Gothenberg in 1995.
Gus Nketia's record stood for 28 years, set at the Victoria Commonwealth Games in Canada, although it had been under threat from his son in recent years.
"I knew that if I was focused and my mind was in the race, I could do well," Osei-Nketia said. "I needed to perform well today no matter what - 10.1 or 10.0, it had to be this race.
"I wasn't initially aware at first that I'd broken my dad's record, I just knew I had made the semis, that was my goal.
"After seeing 10.08, I was so emotional, I was crying. Knowing what it had taken to get that time was emotional for me."
The time gave Osei-Nketia second place in his heat, pipped by Japan's Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (9.98s), while Ferdinand Omanyala (10.10s) of Kenya took the final qualification spot to progress to the semis.
Osei-Nketia also bettered his previous personal best of 10.12 seconds, seeing him finish 16th of the 24 sprinters to reach the semi-finals, scheduled for Sunday (NZ time).
He has drawn between Americans Fred Kerley - fastest qualifier - and reigning world champion Christian Coleman.
