Australia’s hottest athletic sprint talent breaks state title record

Queensland’s most exciting track athlete since Sally Pearson scorched to a record breaking performance at the state titles.

Queensland’s most exciting track athlete since Sally Pearson scorched to a record breaking performance at the state titles yesterday.

Schoolgirl Torrie Lewis blazed past her pervious best 100m time to post 11.55 seconds, becoming the youngest female Australian to ever win an open state titles 100m and 200m double.

Lewis has only just turned 16, and her time surpassed her previous best 100m effort of 11.57 seconds.

Lewis has now qualified for the world junior championships and while the Olympic qualifying time of around 11.30 seconds is still beyond her reach for 2021, Lewis is running herself into the frame for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Torrie Lewis at the state titles over the weekend. Picture, John Gass

“She really is a super talent,’’ said her coach Gerrard Keating, who has likened Lewis’ work ethic to Olympic hurdles champion Pearson.

Lewis also claimed the 200m open state title in 23.83 seconds, again qualifying her for the world juniors.

“To get the double is even more outstanding,’’ Keating said. “And now she has recorded world junior qualifying times in both events.’’

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But the St Peters Lutheran College student was back to reality this morning.

“She was back to school this morning to sit her first exam at 8am,’’ Keating said.

In the 100m dash Lewis (11.55 seconds) finished ahead of Tamara Hotten (11.61) and Elly Buckholz (11.88).

Ashley Moloney in the 100m. Picture, John Gass

In the men’s open 100m final, decathlete sensation Ashley Moloney powered to an astonishing victory in just 10.36 seconds, ahead of Fejiro Omuvwie (10.46) and Simon Greig (10.48).

Moloney’s decathlete training partner Cedric Dubler ran 10.88 seconds.

Both Moloney and Dubler, coached by Eric Brown at UQ Sport, have qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games as decathletes.

Moloney, 20, a Brisbane Boys College old boy, is regarded as a sleeping giant of the sport and an outside chance of an Olympic medal, while Dubler is a Rio Olympian and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist.

Cedric Dubler after his long jump effort.. Picture, John Gass

Brown said Moloney’s 100m sprint effort on his 21st birthday was fantastic given the quality of opponent.

“It was probably one of the best quality states I have seen for some time with fantastic performances from most age groups,’’ Brown said.

“The sprint times for men and women were some of the best I have seen for a while.’’

He said Moloney also narrowly beat Dubler in the 110m hurdles, while Dubler’s long jump effort of 7.90m was special. “For a decathlete to win it against just long jump athletes was a really good performance and a PB,’’ he praised.

Alex Beck was also very impressive in the open 400m with his 45.72 seconds and looks a certainly to make the Olympic team.

In field events, Aliyah Johnson managed to qualify for World University Games games with her performance and training partner Kayla Cuba leapt out over 13m for the first time.

Kayla Cuba in the Triple Jump Queensland athletic state titles. Saturday March 13, 2021. Picture, John Gass

The pair and long jumper Joshua Cowley, who used the state titles to work on his technique, are coached by Stacey Taurima.

“Joshua did really well as we just used state champs as a bit of a test out some changes we wanted to make in his technical model.

“His last jump was a monster but struggled to control his landing which effectively cost him around 20 to 30cm from observations.

Caleb Law earlier in his career.

Mayne Harriers coach Andrew Iselin said Calab Law also produced a world junior qualifier for the 100m at the state titles after qualifying earlier in the season for the 200m.

“He is the only male in Australia to have done that so far,’’ Iselin said.

Isabella Harte of St Margaret’s. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School students also had a successful state titles, with five athletes winning 10 medals between the,

Isabella Harte collected silvers in the steeplechase and 1500m, Milla Roberts snared a gold medal and a silver medal in her age group, Tilly Lee snared bronze in 800m and 1500m while Tayden Tomich claimed a gold medal in her age hurdles.

In addition Kayla Newberry grabbed silver medals in her hurdles and high jump.

Nudgee College sprinter Ashley Wong produced a PB in the 100m of 10.60 on a windy day, which was great progress in his return from injury.

Wong also demolished his 200m PB with a blistering 20.83s, a time which ranks him 14th in the world in open competition this season for 200m in all conditions.

Wong’s time was the fastest 200m time at the QA state championships, including the Open Mens 200m.