Tara Murray
Taekwondo star Bailey Lewis is hoping to go out on a high after qualifying for the Paris Olympics.
The Werribee resident narrowly missed out on the last Olympics, but there was no disappointment this time, one of three athletes named in the Australia taekwondo team.
Lewis said he was ecstatic to make the team.
“It was nice,” he said. “We had a fair idea for myself for the last two years now [that he’d make the team].
“I had good results and won the selections about a month ago. That was pretty much it.”
Lewis said qualifying for the Olympics was always a dream come true before he even knew which sport he loved.
“As long as I can remember with school projects I wanted to be an Olympian,” he said. “I didn’t even know what an Olympian was.
“I tried lots of sports as a kid. I saw a taekwondo demo at a shopping centre and I thought it was pretty cool with lots of flips and boards.”
While Lewis soon found out that isn’t what taekwondo was, he fell in love with the sport and has put in plenty of hours since to reach the Olympics.
He said at times it could be humbling but he gained more confidence as he went along.
“There’s lots of ups and downs as a junior,” he said. “I wasn’t the best at taekwondo, but I learnt a lot.
“In my senior years I’ve got some good results. I just missed out on the last Olympics which was quite heart breaking.
“I felt like I had a good shot.”
Lewis will compete in the 58 kilogram men’s event. He said this will be his swan song to competing in the sport despite being just 26.
He said trying to keep that weight at his age was really difficult and meant he wouldn’t compete long term.
Lewis said he was hoping to finish on a high. He will spent time in Europe facing his main competitors in the lead up to the Olympics, to try and get the best preparation he can.
“I’m hoping to medal,” he said. “I think that I’m good enough and have beaten enough of the past medallists.
“At the grand prix, I’m the only Australian who has medalled in two events.”
Lewis said he was hopeful that his hometown would get behind him at the games. He trains at City West Taekwondo in Hoppers Crossing.
“My friends don’t know too many Olympians, they will brag about it,” he said. “It’s nice walking down the street or at my sisters footy and they recognise me and say you’re Bailey.
“I still feel like a normal person.”
