Paris 2024 Olympics: Carl Lewis backs Team GB sprinter Louie ...

Published 27/07/2024 at 09:07 GMT

After winning the men’s 100m at the 2024 NCAA Track & Field Championships and UK Championships in June, the Sheffield-born sprinter winds up for his Olympic debut. 

On 4 August, the 21-year-old will fight for a spot in the men’s 100m final. Five days later, Hinchliffe will return to the oval at Stade de France to represent Team GB in the men’s 4x100m relay final.

Hinchliffe isn’t a household name – not yet – but the young British star has already cracked the elusive 10s barrier twice this year. 

He ran a wind-aided 9.84s at NCAA West Regionals in May. A few weeks later he clocked 9.95s, taking the title at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The sixth-fastest 100m time in British sprint history. And fast enough to be a contender for Team GB.

“It’s a whirlwind, two months ago, no one heard of him and now here we are with the goal to make the final,” says Hinchliffe's coach, nine-time Olympic champion, Carl Lewis. 

“I have two athletes from the University of Houston, Louie Hinchliffe and Shaun Maswanganyi, trying to make the final in the Olympics. They’re college teammates, that’s never been done before. So I think Louie’s going to have a great Games.”

Hinchliffe celebrates victory in Men's 100m Final at UK Athletics Championships 2024

Image credit: Getty Images

A year ago, Hinchliffe wasn’t even the fastest runner at University of Houston. He placed 20th at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships and 17 places behind his teammate Maswanganyi of South Africa. Hinchcliffe’s fastest 100m time was 10.17s, over half a second slower than fellow Team GB Zharnel Hughes’ PB of 9.83s.

But under Lewis’ coaching and another year of consistency, Hinchcliffe’s rise to success has looked like something that only happens in dreams.

At the UK Athletics Championships in Manchester, a key qualifier for the Olympics, Hinchcliffe overtook former UK champion Jeremiah Azu at the finish, earning gold in 10.18s despite sopping English weather. He had already ran the World Athletics entry standard, sealing his spot on Team GB with this victory.

“It means everything to be going to Paris,” Hinchliffe told The Independent after punching his ticket. “I have dreamed about the Olympics since I was a kid. I will go with the attitude that I can win. I seem to do well in the high pressure situations, so who knows.

“This is the first year I have taken my athletics seriously, now I am really focused 100 per cent on training, nutrition, rest - the whole deal.”

And Lewis is making sure Hinchliffe stays in the moment. “The biggest thing for me,” says Lewis, “is to keep [him] focused. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Do what you’ve been doing, and I always say, ‘Put together a race you can duplicate.’ So if he does what he’s been doing, he’ll be in the final.” 

It’s not going to be easy. Hinchliffe's up against USA’s hype-man Noah Lyles, reigning Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs of Italy and fellow Team GB sprinter and British record holder Zharnel Hughes. 

How does Lewis keep the young athlete grounded? 

“I remind him, I have nine of those things [gold medals], so listen to me, I know what to do.” 

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