Eddie Osei-Nketia salutes in final race before chasing gridiron career in Hawaii

The 21-year-old is New Zealand's fastest man. He took a 28-year-old national 100-metre record from his father Gus, but was left frustrated after missing the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and Tokyo Olympic Games.

But "all good things come to an end" - and now Osei-Nketia leaves athletics to commence a football scholarship with the University of Hawaii.

The charismatic Canberra product - who represents New Zealand - ambushed Australia's fastest man Rohan Browning in the 100m at the Brisbane Track Classic on Saturday night.

Osei-Nketia clocked a season-best 10.13 seconds to hand Browning his first defeat of the season, the Australian never in the hunt after clocking 10.29.

MORE SPORT

"It's emotional man," Osei-Nketia said.

"All the training and everything I've done, and now I'm leaving the sport, it's very heartbreaking. All the memories I've made and all the competitors I competed against, its so sad that it has come to a very quick end."

Osei-Nketia has long turned heads on the track, and the former St Edmund's College first XV rugby player's turn of foot had plenty holding him in high regard on the football field.

Now he will realise a different kind of football dream when he joins the Rainbow Warriors with all the makings of an impressive wide receiver.

"All I've got to do is train hard, work hard, stay humble and just do my thing when I get over there," Osei-Nketia said. "And also focus on studies."

As for Browning, he has days to turn things around ahead of the Australian championships in Brisbane, starting on Thursday.

"These things happen," Browning said. "I'm always tinkering with the start, trying to make it more efficient but I butchered it today."

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.