MELBOURNE, Australia, Dec. 4, 2025 — Eddie Osei-Nketia, New Zealand’s record holder in the 100 and 200 meters, has officially completed his transfer of allegiance to Australia, Athletics Australia confirmed Thursday.
The 24-year-old sprinter, who competes for the University of Southern California, said his focus is now on helping Australia contend for medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and other global meets.
“My goal with Australia is to break both the 100m and 200m record and also help the relay team to not just make the finals — also to earn a medal on the big stage, and with the team I believe it’s possible,” he said in a written statement.
Osei-Nketia has long ranked among Oceania’s fastest sprinters. He clocked a New Zealand record of 10.08 seconds in the 100 meters at the 2022 World Championships in Oregon, surpassing the previous mark held by his father, Gus Osei-Nketia. His top wind-aided marks include 9.96 seconds with a 2.4 m/s tailwind, along with 10.01w and 10.03w performances in other meets.
He also owns New Zealand’s 200-meter record with a 20.24 run for USC at the 2022 NCAA West Preliminary in College Station, Texas.
“I am 100% with Australia from here on out,” Osei-Nketia said.
Athletics Australia welcomed the decision, celebrating his addition to the national team.
“He has been lighting up Australian tracks for years but Edward Osei-Nketia is now officially eligible to represent Australia on the world stage,” the federation said in a social media post. “The 10.08-second man joins the nation’s rising sprinting stocks. This is going to be fun.”
Born in Auckland, Osei-Nketia was not selected by New Zealand for the Tokyo Olympics and briefly switched to American football, signing as a wide receiver with the University of Hawaii in 2023. He later returned to track and resumed competition for USC, reigniting his sprinting career.
With his transfer now finalized, Osei-Nketia becomes eligible to represent Australia at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo and future major events.
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