Tamsyn Lewis

Tamsyn Carolyn Lewis (born July 20, 1978) is an Australian athlete and middle-distance runner, who has won a total of thirteen Australian Championships at 400 metres and 800 metres.

An Australian international representative since 1994, Lewis became World Indoor Champion at 800 metres [http://www.iaaf.org/WIC08/news/kind=103/newsid=44000.html IAAF - Believe it, Tamsyn] ] in March 2008.

Personal life

She was born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria and attended Caulfield Grammar School. [2008 Australian Olympic Team (2008). [http://www.olympics.com.au/Athletes/TheTeam/tabid/343/Athletes/TheTeam/tabid/344/Default.aspx?cId=14524&teamId=31 Tamsyn Lewis] . Retrieved July 21, 2008.]

Her mother Carolyn Wright was a six time National High jump champion, while her father, Greg Lewis, was a semi finalist in the 200 metres at the Mexico City Olympic Games [http://www.athletics.com.au/news/media_resources/2008_season_guide Athletics Australia - Season Guide 2007/08] ] .

Through her career Lewis has been assisted by a number of well-known athletics coaches, including Peter Fortune (Cathy Freeman's coach), Sebastian Coe and Daley Thompson. Her domestic partner is South Australian cricketer Graham Manou.

Athletics career

Lewis burst onto the national athletics scene in 1994, winning several events at the Australian Championships: the Under-16 100 m/200 m double and the Under-20 400 m. After these performances she was chosen, aged just 15, for the 1994 Commonwealth Games as a 4 x 400 metres relay runner, though she did not eventually compete in the event [http://www.athletics.com.au/fanzone/athleteprofiles/tamsyn_lewis Athletics Australia profile - Tamsyn Lewis] ] .

Her next international selection was for the 1996 World Junior Championships in Sydney, where she won a bronze medal as part of the Australian 4 x 400 metres relay team

In 1998, Lewis moved up to the 800 metres distance, winning the National Championship and gaining a place in the 1998 Commonwealth Games team. Though she did not win a medal in the 800 m, she contributed to Australia's gold medal winning 4 x 400 m relay team.

She was next ran internationally in the 800 metres and 4 x 400 metres relay at the 1999 World Indoor Championships in Maebashi. Here she set an Australian indoor record of 2-02.42 in her individual event and again won a medal as part of Australia's 4 x 400 metres relay team.

Leading into the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Lewis enjoyed her best form, setting new personal best times for 400 and 800 metres in qualifying for the Australian team. At the Games, she was unlucky to miss out on making the Olympic final in the 800 metres, failing by less than one tenth of a second, but ran in Australia's 4 x 400 metres relay team which set two national records.

In the years after Sydney, Lewis could not improve her personal best performances and gained a reputation as an underachiever [ [http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2004/profiles/tamsyn_lewis.htm Australian Broadcasting Corporation - 2004 Olympic preview] ] in international competitions. Lewis gave away the 800 m in 2005 to focus on the one-lap event and develop her speed. She competed at the 2006 Commonwealth Games only in the 400 m, where she missed making the final, and in the 4 x 400 metres relay event, where she won her third successive gold medal amidst a major controversy, as part of the victorious Australian quartet.

In 2007 Tamsyn made a return to the 800 m distance under new coach, and brother, Justin Lewis, winning the 800 m national championships, placing in several European Meetings and qualifying for the 2007 IAAF World Championships in Athletics. In Osaka she finished fourth in her heat in 2.01.21 and was again unable to make the final.

Lewis enjoyed a return to her very best form in early 2008, remaining undefeated over 400 m and 800 metres in Australia [http://www.geocities.com/geetee/rankings/season_08.html Athletics Gold - 2008 season] ] . She ran a personal best time of 51.44 to win the national 400 metres titles and comfortably retained her 800 metres crown. These performances earned Tamsyn selection in a third consecutive Australian Olympic team.

At the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships, held in Valencia, Spain, Lewis qualified for the final running an Australian record of 2-01.85 in her heat. In a tactical final, Lewis broke away from perennial champion Maria de Lurdes Mutola and Ukrainian Tetiana Petlyuk to win the gold medal in a major upset [http://www.iaaf.org/WIC08/news/kind=108/newsid=43791.html IAAF World Indoor Championships - Women's 800 metres] ] . Lewis was shocked herself saying "I was wondering what I was doing out there. Then I realised that I could win the race. This is amazing. I still can't believe it."

She will compete at the Stawell Gift meet over Easter, held on a traditional grass track, and will run in handicap events against both male and female athletes [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23331608-14822,00.html Herald Sun - Stawell treated to champion field] ] .

Tamsyn will then set herself for competition on the IAAF World Athletics Tour in Europe, aiming to beat her seven-year old personal best time for 800 metres (1-59.21) and Charlene Rendina's long-standing Australian national record of 1-59.0 (set in 1976). Lewis will then represent Australia at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Relay Teams

Tamsyn has won a number of international medals in the 4 x 400 m relay:

* At the 1996 World Junior Championships in Sydney, Lewis, Rosemary Hayward, Josephine Fowley and Jennifer Marshall won a bronze medal, recording a time of 3-32.47.

* At the 1999 World Indoor Championships in Maebashi, Lewis combined with Susan Andrews, Tania Van-Heer and Cathy Freeman to win a silver medal in an Australian record of 3-26.87.

Lewis is also a three-time gold medal winner in the Commonwealth Games 4 x 400 m relay event.

* At Kuala Lumpur 1998, Lewis joined Lee Naylor, Tania Van-Heer and Susan Andrews to win in a time of 3-27.28s.

* At Manchester 2002, Lewis ran the third leg in a team which featured Olympic 400 m champion Cathy Freeman, Lauren Hewitt and, anchoring, 400 m hurdles champion Jana Pittman. Australia's win was largely due to Tamsyn's run - having taken the baton from Hewitt in second place, she was able to give Pittman a lead at the last change - and the time was a Games record 3-25.63s.

* At Melbourne 2006, Lewis and her teammates Pittman, Caitlin Willis and Rosemary Hayward were second across the line being beaten by England; again Lewis had run the third leg. After consultation with her fellow runners, both Lewis and Pittman informed officials of a rule breach by England's Natasha Danvers (IAAF Rule 170 – Item 9), which the officials had already noted. England was subsequently disqualified and Australia awarded the gold medal; the time 3-28.66s. Afterwards, Australian track legend Ron Clarke called on the Australian team to return their gold medal. [ [http://in.rediff.com/sports/2006/mar/28cwg.htm Aussie relay team urged to hand back medals] ]

Media career

Tamsyn commenced a media career with Melbourne radio station Triple M, as part of the 'Dead Set Legends' crew, in 2005 [ [http://www.geocities.com/tamsynlewisonline/news.html Tamsyn Lewis news page] ] .

In 2006, she appeared on the popular Australian television series "Dancing with the Stars". Partnered by Arsen Kishishian, Lewis finished third [ [http://au.yahoo.com/dancing-with-the-stars/couples/tamsyn-lewis/ Seven Network - Dancing with the Stars] ] .

With Jules Lund and Ryan Shelton, Lewis presented the "Summer Fling" breakfast show across the Austereo Today Network [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22908649-5012974,00.html Herald-Sun - Summer Fling] ] , from December 2007.

Controversies

In 2004, Lewis posed in bikinis for "Ralph" magazine, prompting criticism from the media for losing focus on her preparation for the Athens Olympics. Also, Tamsyn was voted the 'sexiest babe in Melbourne' award on local radio station Nova 100. When Tamsyn failed to progress past the heats of her individual event, the 800 metres, both Lewis and her coaches defended the photoshoot saying it was undertaken in five hours on one day and was not to blame for her result [ [http://theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/05/1091557948344.html The Age - Sexy photos not to blame] ] .

In February 2006, Lewis and fellow Australian runner Jana Pittman were involved in a very public feud [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/feuding-run-pair-urged-to-focus-on-deeds-to-end-petty-jealousy/2006/02/08/1139379571662.html The Age - Feuding Run Pair Urged to Focus on Deeds to end 'petty jealousy'] ] after the Australian athletics trials for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Pittman, in answer to a media question following her heat win, had stated she had "no competition" in Australia; Lewis responded "I'll give you no competition - bitch" in a radio interview after she won the final with Pittman finishing last. The media later described their relationship as a "catfight' and a "bitchfight" [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/War-of-words-between-Pittman-Lewis/2006/02/08/1139379567714.html Sydney Morning Herald - War of words between Pittman, Lewis] ] .

In the May 29, 2006 edition of Australian "Zoo Weekly" magazine, Lewis again posed in what Nova 100 afternoon DJ's described as "incredibly racy" lingerie. In the accompanying article, Lewis went into detail about her relationship with Jana Pittman and the furore caused over comments by Pittman that the team should all return their medals.

In 2008, she was involved in another media controversy, allegedly suggesting that Australia's other 800 metres runners were unwilling to lead in races against her [ [http://www.smh.com.au/news/beijing2008/lewis-creates-a-stir/2008/02/17/1203190655700.html Sydney Morning Herald - Lewis creates a stir] ] .

tatistics

Personal Bests

* as at 10 March 2008

References

External links

* IAAF profile for [http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=AUS/athcode=131181/index.html/ Tamsyn Lewis]
*
* [http://www.tamsynlewis.com/ Tamsyn Lewis - personal website]