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At just 23 years of age, Melissa Breen is already Australia’s fastest ever woman.
It’s a pretty nice title to hold for someone so young, and all the signs point to her getting faster.
She broke a 20-year-old Australian record in February at the ACT Championships when she clocked 11.11 seconds in the 100-metre sprint.
She won the Australian national championships in 2010 and 2012, as well as the 200-metre event in 2009 and 2012.
What am I competing in?
Breen will be competing in the 100-metre sprint, as well as the 4×100-metre relay.
Who’s my competition?
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is the woman everyone is chasing, she ran for gold at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
Breen’s compatriot Sally Pearson could also make an appearance in the 100-metre sprint, though she is yet to decide whether she will definitely compete after suffering hamstring problems this year.
Form heading into the Games
Breen ran 11.33 in Belgium at the Memorial Leon Buyle 2014 Oordegem to take out first place, while her 11.11 seconds clocked in February would have been enough for the gold medal at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
In the recent Diamond League she posted 11.38 for fifth, while her main competitor, Daphne Schippers, ran 11.03.
Commonwealth Games history
Breen represented Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the 100-metre sprint and finished fifth in the semi-finals, but missed out on a place in the final.
She was selected for the 2012 London Olympics team, despite not running an Olympic A qualifying time in her preparation.
Why should Aussies get behind me?
As the fastest woman in Australia, there are not many reasons not to get behind Breen.
She’s had her ups and downs throughout her career, having struggled in her younger years with pressure and illness.
She missed out on the World Championships last year, and her 2012 London Olympics preparation was interrupted with stress.
“One of the biggest things we have learnt this year is that I need work in me to produce the results,” she said.
“Looking back at what I did before I broke the Australian record, I was still doing pretty big volumes.
“There is an element of taper, and I understand that, but you can go to the other end of the scale, which is what we did do after I broke the record, we didn’t really train enough.
“I need to keep in touch with the track and not get lazy, to be honest.”
She has also had to perform at high levels without the support of Athletics Australia, who were unwilling to grant her funding of $12,000 before the London Olympics.
She was only given $4000, due to inconsistent runs, and had to rely on the generosity of business woman Susan Alberti to get her over the line.
While Breen as never made a final at a major championship, she is as positive as ever about her chances.
“Everyone asks me what time I want to run at the Commonwealth Games, but it’s irrelevant. I just want to beat people.”
“If that takes 11.1 seconds or if it takes 11.6 seconds into a head wind, then that’s what it is. I’m not too worried about times, I don’t feel like times define me anymore.
“I know that Australian record would have won in Delhi, but no one was there. This year in Glasgow everyone will be. I would love to get a medal, but to get there I have to get to the final.”
Fast Facts
– She resides in Canberra and has the qualifications to coach athletics. She uses Twitter and also writes a blog.
– She likes cats and chocolate, but hates olives
– She has a phobia of snakes
– She started a secondary teaching degree in 2009 before focusing on athletics
– Her first memory of running was being chased by a dog as a four-year-old
This article was first published on the Tenplay website here.