Aussie athlete Lauren Ryan breaks record that has stood for 19 years – and you won’t believe how much she beat her old personal best by

Australian distance runners Lauren Ryan and Jack Rayner broke the national records for the 10,000 meters during a competition in California, taking major steps towards the Olympic Games in Paris.

Ryan shaved a whopping 94 seconds off her personal best, stopping the clock at 30 minutes and 35.66 seconds.

Her time was more than two seconds faster than the previous record set by the great Benita Willis from 2003.

Ryan, the reigning national champion, finished third in the women’s 10,000 meters at Sound Running’s The Ten in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday evening local time.

The Aussie’s incredible performance puts her in a great position to represent her country at the Olympic Games in Paris later this year

The 26-year-old became the first Australian to better the tough automatic qualifying standard of 30:40.00 for the Paris Olympics later this year.

She will now also focus her attention on achieving the qualifying time for the 5000 meters.

“Being part of the Australian Olympic team is something I have dreamed of, and now knowing I have won the trial and have the standard will hopefully guarantee my selection for the team in the 10km,” Ryan said.

‘Now it’s time to go for the 5K.

“I’ve had experience with it at World Juniors and I feel like for me at that level now it’s about competing and racing. It just takes a few years to understand that.”

Ryan (photo) also wants to participate in the 5000 meters in Paris

Rayner finished 13th in the men’s 10,000 meters on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) in 27:09.57, almost six seconds better than his previous national record at the same event in 2022.

It was just before the Paris Games automatic qualifier at 27:00, but 28-year-old Rayner is still well placed to be selected for a second Australian Olympic squad later this year.

A stress fracture forced him to prematurely withdraw from the 2021 Olympic Games marathon in Tokyo.