Former Novocastrian Torrie Lewis has claimed the title of Australia's fastest-ever woman after bettering the national 100-metre record with a flying run of 11.10 seconds in Canberra.
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The 19-year-old, who attended St Mary's Catholic College at Gateshead and started her athletics career with Macquarie Hunter Little Athletics Club at Glendale before moving to Brisbane, shaved one-hundredth of a second off the previous mark of 11.11 set by Melissa Breen 10 years ago at the same Australian Institute of Sport track.
"It is finally here," said Lewis.
"I've been after times like these for what seems like ages now; never letting myself think too much of it, but always wanting to get there."
Lewis claimed double gold in the 100m and 200m at last year's national titles in Brisbane and represented Australia in the 100m and 4x100m relay at the world championships in Budapest.
Coming into the ACT championships, Lewi's 100m personal best was a time of 11.23 set last year in Sydney.
She bettered that with a heat run of 11.21 early on Saturday and then went much faster again in the final, stopping the clock at 11.10 with the aid of a legal tailwind of 1.6m per second.
Lewis also bettered the great Raelene Boyle's Australian under-20 record of 11.20 which had stood since 1968.
"That junior record which I have been very close to, I'm glad to get under it finally," she said.
The Paris Olympics is Lewis's No.1 target for 2024.
The now-retired Breen paid tribute to Lewis on social media platform X.
"Records are made to be broken," she wrote.
"It's been an absolute honour and privilege to be the Australian record holder of the 100m for almost a decade.
"Congratulations Torrie Lewis, coach Andrew Iselin and your entire team.
"The baton is now yours, carry it with pride and purpose every day."
