WA teen sprint star breaks 57-year national record

Author: Mali Seward

17-year-old Leah O’Brien has broken the national under-18 100m record during the WA State Athletics Championships, on Tuesday. The record was originally set by Raelene Boyle at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

The Perth local broke the record at the WA Athletics Stadium in Floreat, which made the moment even more special as she pulled off the record-breaking time in front of her friends and family. O’Brien stopped the clock at 11.14 seconds in the final, eclipsing Boyle’s long-standing record of 11.20 and even surprising herself with the result.

Take a look at this! □□

Leah O’Brien, who is 17-years-old, crossed the line in 11.14 (+1.7), beating Raelene Boyle’s Australian U18 100m record, that has stood since the Mexico City 1968 Olympic Games! □□pic.twitter.com/QTYOd9EUJQ

— Brisbane 2032 (@Brisbane_2032) April 8, 2025

Leah commented after her record-breaking race, saying she “honestly thought [her] race in the heats [11.46] was a really good time, and [she] never expected to go 11.3 in the final.” Her time not only broke a national record but also put her firmly on the radar as one of Australia’s most promising young sprinters.

Leah said she is “so happy because [she has] been working really hard for that. It’s around the time that the Open girls run, which is crazy to be running that still in high school.” Her performance comes as a breakthrough moment in her career and will hopefully lead the way for a potential career as a future national champion.

Leah will return on Friday for the national championships, hoping to once again prove herself and set another record-breaking run.

O’Brien’s record-breaking run is another huge step for athletics in WA and Perth, paving the way for young athletes to continue breaking records and improving quicker than what was thought previously possible. Leah O’Brien has not only made history, but she is also inspiring a new wave of junior athletes aiming to follow in her footsteps.