Dancer turned sprinter Bree Masters has helped Australia book a lane for the 4x100m relay at their first Olympics since the 2000 Sydney Games.
Masters, Ebony Lane, Ella Connolly, and Torrie Lewis broke their own national record in a second-place finish to Germany in their heat at the World Athletics Relay Championships in the Bahamas to earn Australia automatic qualification for the Paris Games.
The Bond University Marketing and Public Relations major ran the second leg and from her vantage point around the bend from the finish line, initially thought the side had fallen short of their quest.
“I was feeling slightly deflated when I met up with the girls at the finish line, and at this time, no results had shown up on the board, other than Germany who won,” she said.
“But as we got ushered off to post event media, one of the officials grabbed our attention and they told us we finished second and we all just screamed and jumped with excitement.
“It was a very cool moment, and we were all so thrilled. “
The final relay team will be selected in June while Masters will continue a busy race schedule in a bid to gain an individual 100m berth.
“I’m going to keep training well and prepare as if I have been selected for the team,” she said.
“The team is announced shortly before the games so I need to make sure I am ready to go should I be selected.
“I also still have many individual races coming up to hopefully qualify in an individual position in the 100m, so it will be full steam ahead. “
The Aussie side’s time was the fifth fastest of the event, a new high for the national team.
“Fifth in the world is incredible,” Masters said. 
“(Coach) Cathy Walsh told me that is the highest placing that we’ve ever had as a women’s 4x100m team at these championships, and that is just so exciting given there’s so much more we can do together as a group.
“I think we’re a definite medal chance in Paris. 
 “There’s a lot that we can do to improve upon that race so that we can be one percent better, so we are really confident for July. 
Masters’ journey to the cusp of Olympic selection is unique, as sprinting only emerged as her primary sport in 2017.
She grew up enjoying the hard work that is beach sprinting and her efforts were rewarded with a plethora of Australian Surf Lifesaving medals.
However, the Bond University Business School alumna’s main love when she was younger was dancing and she dreamt of performing with a professional company.
But while attending a professional dance school in Sydney after high school, she realised dancing wasn’t for her after all and moved to the Gold Coast to concentrate on beach sprinting.
It wasn’t long before someone suggested she try her luck on the track. 
Masters was hooked on the orange rubber after her first run at top speed. Without the sand to slow her down, she was all set to fly. 
Her journey has been a sprint itself, with her first time donning the Australian uniform only two years after her first track session. She had found her way onto the team going to the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games, where she ran in her first semi-final on the world stage.