Being Australia's fastest woman is amazing - and weird, Torrie Lewis says.
"It has been nice to get recognised and appreciated," Lewis told AAP after winning the 200 metres at the Adelaide Invitational on Saturday.
"But it has been very different. So sudden."
The strangest thing is her own thoughts.
"It's me, myself, thinking. Walking into the shops and being, like, 'Oh, I'm the fastest woman here'."
Then, she thinks: I'm the fastest Australian woman anywhere.
One hundredth of a second changed Lewis's life forever when, on January 27 in Canberra, she broke the national 100m record.
The 19-year-old skimmed one hundredth of a second off the previous mark of 11.11 set by Melissa Breen 10 years ago.
The fortnight since has been a whirlwind.
"There's been a lot of people and I've tried to keep it at a minimum," Lewis said.
"But it has been a lot.
"I just have to remember that where I'm at now, I don't want that to be the endpoint. I want to be further than this.
"So I guess I just have to keep that goal in mind and keep grinding until I get there.
"Because although this is amazing, I don't want this to be my peak."
Lewis's star has been on the rise in Australian athletics for a long time.
Born in Nottingham in the United Kingdom, Lewis has heritage from her part-Jamaican father and her Scottish mother.
Aged six, she and her mum moved to Australia - settling in Newcastle in NSW's Hunter region.
Aged seven, Lewis won Hunter, regional and state gymnastics titles.
Aged eight, she quit gymnastics and started athletics.
Without training, she made state teams but was, she says, middle of the pack.
Aged 12, she began training by correspondence with coach Gerrard Keating.
Aged 13, she was winning state and national age titles.
Aged 14, she'd clocked eye-catching times of 11.91 seconds over 100m, and 24.34 over 200m.
Just turned 19 - her birthday is January 8 - she is Australia's fastest woman and finding herself the centre of attention.
"It's nice to be wanted," Lewis said after being a star attraction on the Adelaide track on Saturday night, when she won the 200m.
But. She knows there's a but.
"But this isn't the endpoint," she repeats.
"I have got another (100m) on Thursday. Let's see if I can do it again."
Lewis, among the headliners of the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on Thursday night, is yet to decide which event to specialise in - the 100 or 200.
"Whatever I am best at," she said.
"Rght now, it's the 100.
"I'll keep doing both and then when I have to, when I get to the big comps and I have to decide, that's when I will.
"Right now, I will just do both."
