CHEERING on an ex-student turned Olympian, St Paul's Primary School at Gateshead turned on the green and gold celebrations on Friday, August 9.
The students have been watching 19-year-old track and field athlete Torrie Lewis make her debut at the 2024 Paris Olympics, tuning into her races and looking up to the former student when it comes to sportsmanship.
Teacher Abbey-Jane Edwards taught Lewis when she was in year 6 and sports captain of St Paul's in 2016.
"She was an excellent role model in the dedication she showed to sporting and academically, and she continues to do that," she said.
"I have a funny memory of the boys challenging Torrie to sprinting races in the back field."
Ms Edwards said St Paul's was proud to see their former pupil on the world stage and smashing goals.
"I was really proud to see the beaming smile I remember seeing on a 12-year-old girl being broadcast at the Olympics," she said.
Lewis competed in two events in Paris - 200m (heats on August 4) and 4x100m relay (heats on August 8).
Running in lucky lane nine on August 4, Lewis clocked a personal best in the opening round of the Paris Olympics women's 200m but just missed out on a direct route to the semi-finals.
She continued at Macquarie Hunter Athletics Club, training out of Glendale and making a Stawell Gift appearance at just 14.
More recently Lewis, born in the UK and now based in Brisbane, has enjoyed a stunning rise up the track ranks.
A national sprint double and maiden World Championships debut in 2023 was followed by a time of 11.10 seconds for the 100m in January and a sparkling Diamond League debut in April.
