Canberra sprinter Melissa Breen is learning to deal with the pressure of being the fastest woman in Australian history and doesn't regret anything she has done since breaking the national record.
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Breen was one of eight ACT competitors named on Wednesday as part of Australia's 45-strong athletics team for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this year.
The 23-year-old grabbed headlines around the country in February when she stopped the clock in a time of 11.11 seconds during the ACT championships to break the record of 11.12 seconds set by Melinda Gainsford-Taylor in 1994.
It was also the first time Breen had beaten long-term rival Sally Pearson in 29 attempts.
Pearson has had the upper-hand since then, winning the national title in Melbourne last weekend in a time of 11.70 seconds into a massive headwind, with Breen finishing second in a time of 11.90.
''What I've learned in the last six weeks is going to help me massively going forward,'' Breen said.
''There was no way I would have ran the record and gone straight back into normal life.
''Emotions go both good and bad, pressure goes both good and bad.
''Life's just different now, I don't regret anything I did in the last six weeks because at that time it seemed like the right choice.''
Joining Breen in the Australian team are Martin Dent (marathon), Emily Brichacek (5000m), Zoe Buckman (1500m), Tim Driesen (hammer throw), Lauren Wells (400m hurdles), Kelsey-Lee Roberts (javelin) and Angela Ballard (T54 1500m).
Breen said while she would have liked to have faster, she had ticked off her goals - to run multiple A-qualifiers, breaking the Australian record and finishing the domestic season injury-free.
''When you look at those three things we've had a pretty awesome season,'' Breen said.
"Obviously I want to run faster, but if you look at the conditions in Canberra and look at the conditions everywhere else it's been pretty different.
''There's no reason to be hard on myself because at the end of the day I've run faster than anyone in Australia has before.''
Breen will head to the Stawell Gift next weekend to take on the men before competing in a series of events in Japan.
It remains to be seen whether she will have her funding with Athletics Australia reinstated.
"I haven't heard, the review process is meant to happen after trials,'' Breen said.
''I assume or over the next week they will make a decision, but there was no stipulation that making the Commonwealth Games team would guarantee it.''
