In an exciting display of athletic talent, 17-year-old Leah O’Brien from Western Australia has set a new national under-18 women’s record for the 100 metres. During the national junior athletics championships in Perth, she recorded an impressive time of 11.14 seconds, surpassing the previous record of 11.20 seconds held by the iconic Raelene Boyle since the 1968 Mexico City Olympics. This achievement places O’Brien among the best, sharing an equal fourth rank on the all-time Australian open 100m list with Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson. Only three Australians have run faster: Torrie Lewis (11.10 seconds), Melissa Breen (11.11 seconds), and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor (11.12 seconds).
O’Brien’s record-breaking performance came with a legal tailwind of +1.7 metres per second. In addition to her standout 100m run, she also secured a personal best in the 200 metres, completing the race in 23.37 seconds despite facing a challenging headwind of -1.1 metres per second.
Reflecting on her accomplishment, O’Brien expressed her excitement, stating that it is remarkable to be competing at such a high level while still in high school. Surrounding her during this momentous occasion was a supportive crowd of family and friends, which added to her joy. She hopes this achievement will place her in contention for future international competitions.
O’Brien will return to the WA Athletics Stadium to compete in the open 100m race against established sprinters such as Lewis, Bree Rizzo, and Ebony Lane. With her impressive track record, O’Brien is part of a burgeoning group of Australian sprinters, including Lewis, Gout Gout, and Lachlan Kennedy, who show great promise ahead of the upcoming Brisbane 2032 Olympics.