Sprint star Torrie Lewis has become Australia’s fastest woman, running 100m in 11.10 seconds.
The 19-year-old from Brisbane competed at the ACT Under-20 and Open Championships on Saturday, breaking Melissa Breen’s nearly decade-old record of 11.11 seconds. She far surpassed Raelene Boyle’s U20 record of 11.20 seconds set in 1968.
But despite entering the history books, Lewis has yet to qualify for the Paris Games, where the new entry threshold is 11.07 seconds, down from 11.15 seconds in Tokyo.
“I didn’t know my time,” she told Nine after the game. “I looked for the clock but I heard a huge gasp and next thing all the girls were running to me and saying ‘you broke the record’.”
At age 14, Lewis ran the 100 meters in 11.91 seconds and competed at the world championships in Budapest last year.
She told News.com.au: “I seemed to have been chasing moments like this for a long time, never letting myself overthink it but always wanting to get there.”
“When I entered this race I didn’t really focus on the 100m, but I wanted to focus more on the 200m. [on Sunday night].
“It was probably the most relaxed I’ve ever been in a game, and honestly, it paid off.”
“The baton is yours now,” Breen told Lewis via X. “Records are made to be broken… Congratulations to Torrey Lewis, coach Andrew Aislin and your entire team.”
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Records are meant to be broken. To be the Australian 100m record holder for almost ten years is an absolute honor and honour. Congratulations to Tori Lewis, Coach Andrew Aislin and your entire team. The baton is now yours, take it with pride and purpose every day❤️
— Melissa Breen OLY (@Melissa_Breen) January 27, 2024
Lewis said she thought she would “definitely” be part of Australia’s Paris squad as the world rankings dropped and vacant spots were allocated to those who did not meet qualifying times.
“The World Junior Championships will also be held later this year and my goal is to be in the top three to five,” she told Channel 9. “My goal at the Olympics is to reach the semifinals. I don’t have that big expectations for the Olympics. [at my age]”.
Lewis needs to break another of Boyle’s records, running the 200 meters in 22.74 seconds, to become the U20 double sprint record holder.
She now aims to beat her 100m mark at the Adelaide Invitational on February 10 and the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on February 15.
