US sprint superstar Fred Kerley has no interest in dampening expectations ahead of his season opener, boldly declaring his intention to break 20 seconds for the 200m at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on Thursday.
The reigning 100m world champion and Tokyo Olympics silver medallist is the star attraction for the annual meet, which has been elevated in status to World Continental Tour Gold level in 2023.
As one of only three men in history to have run sub-10 seconds for the 100m, sub-20 for the 200m and sub-44 for the 400m, Kerley had multiple options for the meet at Lakeside Stadium.
He chose the 200m, where he will come up against Australian 100m star Rohan Browning.
"Every time I step on the track it should be something fast," said 27-year-old Kerley.
"I know my training has been going good, so hopefully it will be a good time.
"(At last year's world championships in Eugene) I came up short in the 200, so double gold is the only thing that is on my mind at the moment."
Conditions should be tailor-made for the sprinters on Thursday night, with the forecast for a hot evening suiting the Miami-based Kerley just fine.
"You should come and see a sub-20 time," he said.
"Every time I step on the track, I'm expecting something fast every time."
It's a vastly different story for 100m specialist Browning, who hasn't run a half-lap race since 2021.
"I really have no idea, no prediction of what I'm going to run in the 200," said the New South Welshman, who went within a hair's breadth of breaking the magical 10-second barrier at the Tokyo Olympics when he stopped the clock at 10.01 in his 100m heat.
"I haven't done that many of them, and traditionally I've been pretty bad at them to be honest.
"It will be a new challenge, but running against class guys will hopefully bring out the best in me, and it's something I want to focus on more in the future."
The sprinting versatility of the likes of Kerley and the legendary Usain Bolt - who still holds the 100m and 200m world records - is something Browning aspires to.
"Over the long term it's definitely an ambition," said the 25-year-old, who will contest the 100m and 200m at Lakeside Stadium.
"It's good to have that breadth and the range to be able to run both events.
"The best guys in the world, like Fred proves, can do it all - they've got the range, they've got the speed."
American Noah Lyles topped last year's 200m world list with a blistering time of 19.31 at the world championships, which put him third on the all-time list behind Bolt and fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake.
Kerley (19.80) was one of only 17 other men to go under 20 seconds in 2022.
Teen star Aidan Murphy, who is also in the field on Thursday night, was the fastest Australian last year with 20.41.
