Seventeen-year-old Leah O’Brien has damaged the nationwide under-18 100m file held by Australian dash legend Raelene Boyle for 57 years.
O’Brien received the ladies’ last on the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in 11.14 seconds (+1.7 wind resistance), eclipsing Boyle’s 11.20 that she set on the Mexico Metropolis Olympic Video games in 1968.
To make the second sweeter for O’Brien, the Perth native pulled it off in entrance of her buddies, household and hometown followers at the WA Athletics Stadium in Floreat.
Straight after the race she was wrapped in a heat embrace by fellow West Australian Jessica Hanney, who completed simply off the rostrum, earlier than the remainder of the sector joined the celebrations.
Leah O’Brien was mobbed by her opponents after a blistering win within the ladies’ 100m last. (Equipped: Australian Athletics)
“I truthfully thought my race within the heats [11.46] was a very good time, I anticipated to possibly go 11.3 within the last however I am so completely satisfied as a result of I’ve been working actually exhausting for that,” O’Brien mentioned.
“It is across the time that the Open ladies run which is loopy to be working that also in highschool.”
The time equalled Olympic hurdles gold medallist Sally Pearson’s private greatest within the 100m flat for fourth-fastest by any Australian lady.
Globally, O’Brien’s 11.14 is the ninth-fastest 100m time by an under-18 runner in historical past.
She is going to return on Friday for the nationwide championships the place she is going to check herself towards the likes of Australian file holder Torrie Lewis.
“I actually look as much as the highest ladies in Australia like Torrie Lewis and Bree [Rizzo]. I am at all times watching their Instagram reels and their photographs, it simply appears so nice and inspirational,” O’Brien mentioned.
“A whole lot of my household and buddies are right here, that is positively essentially the most assist I’ve ever had. It is so nice to expertise this second with the folks I like and share the happiness.
“I feel I’ve actually put my identify on the market and hopefully I could be in competition for groups sooner or later.”
Queenslanders Thewbelle Philp and Amaya Mearns rounded out the U18 100m podium behind O’Brien, simply as they did within the 200m on Saturday.
Within the boys U18 100m, South Australia’s Kelechi Ekwomadu received in 10.40 (+2.8), with Gout Gout’s coaching companion Jonathan Kasiano second in 10.54 and Oliver Facer claiming bronze in 10.58.
