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Browning vows to go faster after Tokyo PB

Phil Blanche and John SalvadoAAP
Australia's Rohan Browning has run a personal best to win his 100m heat at the Tokyo Olympics.
Camera IconAustralia's Rohan Browning has run a personal best to win his 100m heat at the Tokyo Olympics. Credit: AAP

Vowing to go faster, Australian sprint star Rohan Browning is gunning for "finals and beyond" after scorching to a spectacular victory in his opening-round heat of the men's 100m at the Tokyo Olympics.

Browning clocked a personal-best 10.01 seconds to move to second spot on the Australian all-time list.

The only Aussie to have clocked a faster legal time was Patrick Johnson, who ran 9.93 back in 2003.

"There's more to pull out of myself. I can definitely be pushed a bit more," Browning said after booking his place in the semi-final.

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"It's the one thing I've probably been lacking on the Australian circuit. I've been patient this year.

"I've just been training and racing in Australia and I've been dying for a bit of world-class competition."

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Browning was out of the blocks quickly in lane one on Saturday and never looked like being beaten.

The 23-year-old from Sydney left the likes of 2011 world champion Yohan Blake from Jamaica trailing in his wake.

"It feels good to take a few scalps early on," Browning said.

"I've wanted to get him (Blake) for a long time. All the world's best guys are on my hit-list.

"When you're in lane one, you don't get a personalised introduction and I was definitely trying to harness a bit of that underdog spirit today.

"I doubt any of these guys would have any idea who I am."

Equal-fifth fastest qualifier for Sunday's semis, with Canadian Andre de Grasse topping the time sheets with 9.91, Browning is putting no limits on what he can achieve if he gets through to the final late on Sunday evening.

"Without a doubt - finals and beyond," he said.

"There were a lot of media pundits writing up really well-meaning stories about how great it would be for me to make a final

"But I've never been here to just to make the final.

"No matter what the bookies say, or the pundits or the punters, I hope there are a few more believers tonight.

"I'm taking it round by round but hopefully I've put a few people on notice now."

No Australian man has qualified for an Olympic 100m final since Hec Hogan won bronze in Melbourne in 1956.

Pre-race favourite Trayvon Bromell from the US only scraped into the semis after finishing fourth in his heat in 10.05.

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