Matt Shirvington may have retired from a professional athletics in 2008, but still showed a lot of rhythm in a sensational race against a v8 supercar.
In impressive scenes in Sydney Motorsport Park on Friday, former former Olympic host and 46 -year dawn challenged his age in an epic battle of humans against the machine.
But it was a controversial ending for Shirvington, who took him to former Bathurs winner David Reynolds and his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 of 600 horsepower and 5.7 liters.
At his best, Shirvington was Fasted Man Australia and ran in the relay of 100m, 200 my 4x100m.
He won five consecutive titles of 100 Australian meters from 1998 to 2002 and competed in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, reaching the semifinals.
His best best part of 10.03 seconds in the 100m made him the second Australian sprinter faster for almost two decades.
Sunrise Matt Shirvington presenter faced the supercars V8 Dave Reynolds in a race on Friday
At his best, Shirvington was Australia's fastest man and competed at Sydney Olympic Games in 2000
Reynolds is a former Bathurst winner and a fans favorite in the V8 Supercars championship
After withdrawing from athletics, he transition to the media, becoming a sports presenter and commentator.
He joined Seven News as a sports host and then replaced David Koch as coanfrerion at dawn in 2023.
Reynolds is a driver of the favorite Australian supercar of fans known for his charismatic personality.
He won the Bathurst 1000 2017 with Erebus Motorsport and has run for teams such as Tickford Racing, Kelly Racing and Penrite Racing.
And the two joined for the incredible race in Sunrise on Friday, with the result almost too close to the call.
“This is the race that stops the nation,” said Dawn Katie Brown reporter, while Reynolds accelerates her engine and Shirvington entered her initial posture.
While Shirvington and Reynolds thundered on the finish line, the spectators did not remain without an idea of who had claimed victory.
'Who won?' Brown asked sports presenter Mark 'Berets' Beretta. 'Who do you think he won?'
Shirvington quickly came out of the blocks when Reynolds lost the beginning of delivering leadership
But the grunt of the V8 meant that Reynolds soon was updated and was a photo between the pair.
Beretts could not make a call, forcing a video repetition to determine the winner.
'Shirvo was in front, but I think Dave Reynolds could have included it in the line. We need a super slo-mo repetition to decide this. That was amazing, '' he said.
An exhausted Shirvington said he thought the victory was sure until Reynolds Car appeared next to him in the finish line.
“Sincerely, I liked it and said:” Where is he? “And he was like 'War prisoner,” he said.
And then the presenter David Woiwod revealed the result of the video repetition, which could not divide the competitors.
'The ruling has just entered the butlers. I think it was sent, '' said Woiwod.
'The butlers have told us that he is too close to the call. So what are we doing? Is it a tie?
Berets confirmed: 'It's a draw. It is a draw.
Shirvington showed that he still hates to lose as much as always.
'That? No! No!' He said, and then burst when Reynolds celebrated.
Woiwod said: “He doesn't like losing, right?”
Sunrise coanfrerion, Natalie Barr, added: “This is what worried us.”
Reynolds recognized his bad start and hoped to avoid repetition when the Supercars championship season begins this weekend.
Shirvo introduced him a Shirvington Shiraz magnum and a trophy.
'I don't care that I have lost. My hamstrings and Achilles are intact. I can enjoy the weekend and see the supercars that are coming tonight, “Shirvo said.