Britain's rising sprint star chasing Olympic dream

When 21-year-old British sprinter Louis Hinchliffe sought retired nine-time Olympic golden medallist Carl Lewis arsenic his coach, he knew precisely what he was doing.

He did truthful pinch nan ambition of maximising his potential, having moved to America aft thoroughly enjoying his twelvemonth arsenic a assemblage fresher successful nan UK - and admittedly not taking training excessively seriously.

Neither he nor Lewis - a coach astatine nan University of Houston for nan past decade and pinch 17 world titles to his sanction - genuinely expected what has unfolded successful nan short play since their first telephone telephone past August.

Hinchliffe had not surgery nan 10-second obstruction astatine that point. He had not yet made history by winning nan United States' collegiate 100m title, arsenic achieved by Lewis himself while astatine Houston successful 1981.

Yet, arsenic surreal arsenic each this still feels, targets must beryllium adapted pinch Paris 2024 accelerated approaching.

"If Louis goes to nan Olympic Games and wins 2 golden medals, I'll punctual him that he needs 7 more," jokes Lewis, speaking to BBC Sport.

"Trust me, I will make judge he stays humble."

Hinchliffe is successful safe hands, arsenic he knew he would be.

The excitement surrounding nan Sheffield-born athlete's singular advancement truthful acold this twelvemonth is understandable.

Hinchliffe made headlines erstwhile he recorded nan second-fastest all-condition 100m successful British history pinch a wind-assisted 9.84 seconds successful May.

Then, successful Oregon connected Friday, he followed that up by becoming nan first European jock to triumph nan men's 100m title astatine nan National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Championships.

The time? A blistering 9.95secs - his first ineligible tally nether 10 seconds placing him sixth connected nan British all-time database successful nan biggest title of his life truthful far.

"I really didn't expect each of this to happen," says Hinchliffe, still stunned a time aft his historical triumph.

"I knew I had a chance but I wasn't 1 of nan favourites. It's surreal. I'm complete nan satellite but I'm besides relieved it's done.

"Last twelvemonth I vanished past successful my semi-final. To get into nan last and past triumph is crazy.

"Being successful specified a high-pressure situation brought nan champion retired of me. Everything conscionable came together."

And it has each travel together not only successful an Olympic year, but successful nan aforesaid period arsenic nan British Olympic tests and 7 weeks earlier nan Games.

The first clip Hinchliffe said pinch Lewis, nan American fable made clear his bold ambition to thief him unit his measurement into nan Olympic team, arsenic a relay runner.

Prior to seeking Lewis' guidance, Hinchliffe admits that while he would perceive to his coaches, he would often extremity up doing what he liked successful training. With a keen liking successful play successful particular, he had ne'er rather felt all-in pinch his athletics.

But Lewis has captured his afloat attention, and Hinchliffe is crystal clear connected nan affirmative power nan 1984 and 1988 Olympic 100m champion has had connected him.

"Carl has fixed maine astonishing advice, not conscionable connected nan way but successful life successful general. This wouldn’t beryllium imaginable without what he has taught me," Hinchliffe says.

"To person him guiding maine has opened up everything. He flipped a move successful my caput astir what I person sewage to do. I ne'er predicted it would each hap truthful fast, but coming to Houston and being coached by Carl has been nan catalyst for that."

Hinchliffe, crowned English nationalist champion successful 2022, spent nan 2023 play astatine Washington State earlier making his transportation to Houston.

At nan commencement of 2024 his individual champion publication 10.17secs and Lewis had predicted lowering that to astir 10.10secs would bring a chance of Olympic relay selection.

He has exceeded each expectations. Hinchliffe's NCAA title-winning clip is nan fastest of immoderate European jock successful 2024 and bettered by only 8 athletes worldwide.

Only 5 British men person ever gone quicker, pinch 0.12 seconds now separating him from Zharnel Hughes' nationalist grounds of 9.83secs.

But, and possibly astir crucially, Hinchliffe has nary rumor blocking retired nan ever-increasing outer noise. All his erstwhile teachers would agree, he insists, that he excelled astatine keeping his caput down and "staying retired of trouble".

"Louie is simply a reliable feline and he doesn’t return things personally. Now he is learning, he has assurance and nan entity is nan limit," says Lewis.

"He has to understand that backmost location he is simply a prima now. He has a awesome temperament, he's a awesome young man and he is going to do very well. There's nary mobility he has tally faster than I thought.

"But my occupation is to protect him and thief him understand precisely what it takes to beryllium successful complete a agelong career."

Hinchliffe was injured erstwhile he first arrived astatine Houston and Lewis' contiguous attraction was connected correcting his moving mechanics - specifically getting him to tally "taller", arsenic a salient guardant thin placed further request connected nan hamstrings.

The Briton admitted his shape was not nan champion arsenic he clawed backmost a shortage astatine nan halfway shape to declare his stunning triumph astatine nan NCAA's.

For some jock and coach astatine this early stage, that is nan astir breathtaking facet of each of this. There still remains important room for improvement.

However, location is simply a dazzling opportunity to target successful nan contiguous future.

Hinchcliffe will return location to compete astatine nan UK Championships successful Manchester later this month, which double arsenic nan Olympic trials.

If he achieves a top-two decorativeness location connected Saturday, 29 June then, successful conscionable a mates of months' time, he will beryllium preparing to make his Olympic debut.

"Going to Manchester arsenic perchance 1 of nan favourites is simply a spot crazy," says Hinchliffe.

"It was ever successful my mind to effort and do immoderate harm there, but I don't want to get up of myself and I want to attack it successful nan aforesaid measurement arsenic immoderate different race.

"Just to beryllium astatine nan Olympics would beryllium rather awesome but to beryllium successful a position to possibly make an individual arena has really surpassed everything I thought possible.

"It would mean everything to spell to Paris. I've poured my bosom and psyche into this."

If Hinchliffe does negociate to execute thing he until precocious only dared to dream possible, he will beryllium accompanied successful Paris by Lewis - a man who knows each astir handling nan career-defining moments that travel an Olympic Games.

"It would beryllium tremendous acquisition for Louie and I will beryllium location pinch him to make judge of that, to return nan variables of nan array and make things elemental for him," Lewis says.

"What is important for his early is that erstwhile Olympic tests and Olympic Games travel around, he is ready.

"Nobody comes to maine and says 'hey, that was a awesome meet astatine truthful and so'. They opportunity 'he won 9 golden medals'.

"I want him to person that aforesaid mentality."