In a remarkable sprint performance ahead of the Olympics, Torrie Lewis, Australia’s fastest woman, achieved another breakthrough at the season’s inaugural Diamond League event in China. Surpassing the world 100 meters champion, Lewis secured a stunning victory in the 200 meters, overshadowing even Armand Duplantis’s world pole vault record-setting performance of 6.24 meters.
The 19-year-old sensation from Newcastle, who recently set the Australian 100m record, continued her impressive streak by triumphing over American stars Sha’Carri Richardson and Tamara Clark. Starting from lane nine, Lewis surged ahead to claim an unexpected victory with a time of 22.96 seconds, edging out Richardson by a mere 0.03 seconds, while Clark followed closely behind at 23.01 seconds.
Reflecting on her remarkable win, Lewis expressed disbelief at beating her idol Richardson and emphasized her focus on giving her best performance despite starting from an outer lane. Her achievement not only marked a significant milestone in her career but also brought her closer to breaking Raelene Boyle’s 56-year-old Australian Under-20 record and achieving the Olympic qualifying standard.
Meanwhile, other Australian athletes showcased notable performances, with Georgia Griffith and Sarah Billings both clocking sub-four minute times in the 1500m, alongside Linden Hall. Despite these achievements, Peter Bol faced disappointment in the 800m event, finishing 11th. However, Canada’s Marco Arop set the pace with the fastest two-lap time of the year.
In a challenging night for Australian athletes, Olympic finalist Stewie McSweyn narrowly missed the qualifying standard for Paris, and Joel Baden narrowly missed the podium in the high jump. Ellie Beer made her Diamond League debut with a fifth-place finish in the 400m, while Kathryn Mitchell finished sixth in the javelin event.
Overall, Lewis’s remarkable victory highlighted Australia’s presence on the international stage, setting the tone for an exciting season ahead.
