Leah O’Brien Breaks 57-Year-Old Record in Perth

Images: Aussies in Action for Australian Athletics

Leah O’Brien Shatters 57-Year-Old u18 Oceania Record at Australian Junior Championships 

The wave of Oceania sprinting performances continues with 17-year-old Leah O’Brien breaking Raylene Boyle’s Oceania and Australian Under-18 record that had stood for over half a century.

Racing in front of a home crowd at the Australian Athletics Underage Championships in Perth, O’Brien clocked 11.14 seconds (+1.7) in the Under-18 Girls 100m Final, eclipsing the 11.20 mark set by Australian sprinting legend Boyle at the 1968 Olympics.

Speaking to Australian Athletics:
“I honestly thought my heat time [11.46] was good, so I wasn’t expecting this,” O’Brien said. “It’s crazy to be running times like this while still in high school.” 

Already the Under-18 200m champion, O’Brien completed the sprint double for 2025, finishing ahead of Thewbelle Philp (11.35) and Amaya Mearns (11.45), who mirrored Saturday’s podium result.  

Mearns and Philp were part of the record breaking Team Queensland quartet, who earlier in the week broke the Oceania u18 4x100m Record in 44.70. The Queensland Quartert of Amaya Mearns, Thewbelle Philp, Charlee Vincent and Alyssa McDonald breaking the Oceania, Australian and Championship record with their combined effort.

What’s next? The Open and Under-20 events kick off Thursday as the Australian Athletics Championships continue in Perth.

—ENDS—-