Aussie sprint queen Torrie Lewis makes bombshell Paris Games call

Torrie Lewis, who made huge news with a record-breaking effort earlier this year, has made a surprise Paris Olympics call.

In January this year, Aussie sprinter Torrie Lewis underlined her path to superstardom by breaking the longstanding national 100m sprint record.

Just over six months later, the 19-year-old sensation has confirmed she won’t run the glamour event at the Paris Olympic Games.

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Instead, Lewis is focusing on the 200m and is expected to compete in the 4x100m relay, but won’t run the 100m individual event.

Some of the world’s greatest athletes have targeted and won the 100m-200m Olympic double, including Usain Bolt, Florence Griffith Joyner, Carl Lewis and Jesse Owens.

The SMH reports Athletics Australia was keen for the teenaged Lewis to target one discipline, however, so she has opted for the 200m event.

Torrie Lewis won't be running the 100m in Paris. Photos: Getty Images/Twitter

“I had to pick between the one and the two, so I’m going to pick the two,” Lewis said.

“My 100 when I get going I’m fine, but my start isn’t at the level it needs to be for me to be fully confident in it just yet.”

Lewis surprised herself and many others when she took out the 200m at a Diamond League event in China in April, which you can see in the video player above.

Winning the race was one thing, beating American superstar and reigning 100m world champion Sha’Carri Richardson in a photo finish was a whole other level.

It seems those concerns about Lewis’ ability to get out of the blocks in the 100m led to her focus on the longer event.

“I don’t think she’s got her start going just yet (in the 100m),” Lewis’ agent and veteran athletics figure Nic Bideau told Wide World of Sports in April.

Lewis just beats 100m world champion Sha'Carri Richardson at the Diamond League. Photo: Twitter

“I actually think her natural ability is more suited to the longer sprints.

“If you watch her 100m, where she does the damage is in the second half, and she’s got twice as far to do it in the 200m.

“And I think she’s actually a better starter on the curve than she is on the straight.”

Back in January, Lewis competed at the ACT Open and Under-20 championships in Canberra, when she ran a stunning 11.10 seconds in the 100m.

It was the fastest 100m time ever recorded by an Australian woman, surpassing both Melissa Breen’s all-time record of 11.11 set in 2014 and Raelene Boyle’s under-20 mark of 11.20 set back in 1968.

Having won the 100m and 200m double at last year’s national championships, Lewis said at the time breaking Breen’s mark had been a target.

“To me, it is finally here,” she said after her history-making run.

Lewis (left) has been anchoring the resurgent 4x100m team, seen here alongside Bree Masters, Ella Connolly and Ebony Lane.

“I’ve been after times like these for what seems like ages now, never letting myself think too much of it, but always wanting to get there.”

Back then the 200m was still her focus and her pet event, which may have assisted her performance in the shorter distance.

“That junior record which I have been very close, I’m glad to get under it finally,” she said.

“I came into this competition not even really focusing on the 100m, wanting to focus more on the 200m.

“This is probably the most relaxed I have been in a competition and to be honest, it paid off.

“I want to get so far and I want to do the best I can.”

The Newcastle-based sprinter still has some work to do to get on the 200m starting line at the Paris Games.

Lewis’ personal best of 22.94 seconds in the half-lap event is outside the automatic Olympic qualifying time of 22.57s.

She is next scheduled to run the 200m at the Morton Games in Dublin on July 12.

Originally published as Aussie sprint queen Torrie Lewis makes bombshell Paris Games call