Torrie Lewis laughs off rival country’s moves to claim Aussie sprint sensation ahead of Paris Olympics

Torrie Lewis hasn’t qualified for Paris 2024 yet but, when she does reach the pinnacle, the Australian sprint sensation knows she’s capable of reaching an Olympic final.

7NEWS did what many have failed to do, catching up with the country’s fastest woman after the 19-year-old became the talk of the athletics world.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Torrie Lewis shares Olympic goals as rival country moves to claim Aussie sensation.

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Lewis landed back home this week for an Australian relay camp just days after a Diamond League debut for the ages in China.

The Queenslander took down American star Sha’Carri Richardson, the world’s fastest woman as the 100m record-holder, in a 200m race.

“My race plan was just to kind of stay ahead as much as possible in lane nine,” Lewis told 7NEWS.

“And then once they passed me just to hold on and let them drive me through — but they never got past me.

“I was waiting for them, I was looking out the corner of my eye and they just never came. I was like ‘oh my god, wow’.”

Lewis caught the eye of Australia when she set a new 100m national record in January and continued to impress in the 200m at summer meets.

And now she has the world’s attention, with one Olympic powerhouse already moving to claim her as one of their own.

“Because my dad’s half-Jamaican so technically I can get a Jamaican passport,” Lewis said.

“And it’s funny because it’s always like Jamaica versus America in track and field, and I’ve seen on all the Facebook pages they’re claiming me as one of theirs.

“They’re like ‘yes, our Jamaican sister is beating the Americans’.”

There were no Jamaicans in the final while the United States had five competitors finish behind Lewis.

The US claimed 100m supremacy over Jamaica at the 2023 world championships last August when Richardson defeated Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

But Jackson took out the 200m title ahead of American Gabrielle Thomas and Richardson.

Head here to watch Torrie Lewis and more stars with Aussie athletics replays on 7plus

Lewis, who ran a 100m heat at those world championships, is close to joining her all-star rivals at Paris 2024, sitting just 0.3 seconds outside the 100m qualifying time and 0.4 seconds off the 200m.

And though the clock is ticking, her goals are clear — she wants a semi-final at the very least.

“Run to what I know I can do. I know I can get a personal best, I know I can make a final,” Lewis said.

“So if I can run to my ability then I’ll be happy.”

Lewis remains focused on the 200m and said her 100m exploits are providing good lessons to improve in the longer distance.

Lewis will get another shot at a gold medal next weekend when she lines up with her Australian teammates at the world relay championships in the Bahamas.

The top 14 teams qualify for the Paris Olympics.

“Probably a month ago now we ran the Australian record,” Lewis said.

“So the team is the best it’s ever been. I think we’re all just so hungry to get on that Olympic team.”

Her running mate Bree Masters said the confidence levels are high across the entire squad.

“The whole team is performing really well,” she said.

“Everyone’s running really fast and we’re pretty confident we can take both men’s and women’s teams to the Olympics.”