'In the big league already': Olympic gold medallist Julien Alfred's praise for Aussie teen sensation Torrie Lewis

PARIS: On Wednesday at the Puma House temporarily set up for the Paris Games, St Lucia sprinter Julien Alfred said some kind words about Australian rising star Torrie Lewis that have since taken on great significance.

Becoming an Olympic gold medallist would do that.

"Kudos to her for being so young and being in the big league already against the top sprinters in the world," said Alfred, who four days later won gold in the women's 100m.

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"I'm just really hoping that she continues to strive for excellence and continues to do well for herself and her country, and being so young you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself to do well. She has a long way to go still and I wish her the best."

Some 15 hours after Alfred dominated the 100m final, clocking 10.72 seconds and beating US silver medallist Sha'Carri Richardson by 0.15 of a second, Australia's Lewis lined up in the same race as the newly minted gold medallist.

In heat one of the opening-round 200m heats, Alfred loaded into the blocks in lane one as Lewis did the same in lane four.

Alfred then won the heat in a time of 22.41, locking in her place in the semi-finals.

Lewis finished fourth, and while that wasn't enough to book her a place in the semis, the 19-year-old will get another shot at advancing in the newly introduced repechage round.

The Olympic debutant set a new personal best in her 200m heat, whizzing through the race in 22.89.

"I saw Ta Lou [Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith] and Julien [on my heat sheet], and then all the other girls were just as fast or faster than me, so I was like, 'Oh, great'," Lewis said in the media mixed zone.

"But Ta Lou pulled out, [so] I had it a little easier, and now I'm coming back tomorrow."

Lewis made headlines when she broke the Australian 100m record in January, clocking 11.10 in Canberra.

She then won the 200m at China's Xiamen Diamond League in April, in which she defeated none other than Sha'Carri Richardson, the reigning 100m world champion.

Alfred's Olympic triumph at the Stade de France inspired the Australian teen sensation.

"She was just so dominant last night, like a real pro, you wouldn't even tell how young she was [Alfred is 23]," Lewis said, "so she's definitely a really good role model to look up to in that sense."

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