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Trans-Tasman battle over teenage sprinting star Eddie Osei-Nketia intensifies

April 8, 2019

Athletics Australia are set to meet with the NZ-born runner in the next few days to discuss his future.

Athletics Australia are set to meet New Zealand born runner Eddie Osei-Nketia in the next few days to discuss his future, while Kiwi officials are happy to give him some breathing room.

Osei-Nketia, 17, is the fastest man in New Zealand and now Australia after winning the 100m event at the Australian championships over the weekend.

Kiwi sprinter Joseph Millar said the teenage sensation has a bright future in the sport.

"He's like truly deserves the title of 'freak' because that's exactly what he is," said Millar.

"If it was me I'd be running for Australia, there's a good crop of sprinters in Australia at the moment which would make a great relay and he'd obviously be a part of that."

With next year's Olympics in Tokyo a definite possibility for Osei-Nketia, Athletics New Zealand aren't ready to let him go just yet.

"We have made it very clear we would welcome him into the New Zealand athletics environment," said Athletics New Zealand high performance director Scott Goodman.

"The other challenge in the background is he's made it clear, well the family have made it clear, he wants to explore rugby as well as athletics."

Osei-Nketia lived in Australia for eight years before moving back to New Zealand on a rugby scholarship at Wellington’s Scots College.
 

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