Sprinter Torrie Lewis breaks Australian 100m record

The 19-year-old 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, the Queenslander'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.

"I came into this competition not even really focusing on the 100m, wanting to focus more on the 200m (on Sunday night).

"This is probably the most relaxed I have been in a competition and to be honest, it paid off.

"I want to get so far and I want to do the best I can."

The Paris Olympics is Lewis's No.1 target for 2024 but she is also still eligible to contest the world under-20 championships in Peru.

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."

Australian Associated Press