Hinchliffe achieves Olympic dream with help of Lewis

After watching her boy declare his latest sensational victory, this clip to unafraid a spot successful nan Olympic 100m astatine Paris 2024 arsenic nan British champion, Louie Hinchliffe's mother paid tribute to nan narration astatine nan bosom of nan 21-year-old's accelerated emergence to prominence.

"It wouldn't beryllium Louie without Carl," Leilani Hinchliffe told BBC Sport.

These progressively important achievements, and nan attraction that accompanies them, are each arsenic caller to his family arsenic they are to Louie himself.

They are not arsenic chartless to American icon Carl Lewis, victor of 9 Olympic golden medals and now Hinchliffe's coach. But nan complaint of advancement has travel arsenic rather a astonishment each nan same.

Already successful 2024, everything has changed for Sheffield-born Hinchliffe, who only reached retired to Lewis 10 months agone and has since burst done arsenic 1 of Britain's astir breathtaking talents.

And, aft he stunned nan title to triumph successful miserable conditions successful Manchester connected Saturday night, nan biggest infinitesimal is yet to come.

"The entity is nan limit," a proud Lewis said aft watching his athlete's superb triumph from nan stands.

"When I first heard from him past year, I looked astatine a video of him and I saw nan mistakes he was making.

"I told him he could make nan Olympic team, I thought possibly successful nan relay, but past he started to advancement and his times went down truthful fast."

Hinchliffe sought Lewis' guidance to maximise his imaginable aft taking nan determination - astatine first unpopular pinch his parents - to move to nan United States and prioritise his athletics pursuing a twelvemonth arsenic a assemblage fresher successful nan UK.

They are proving rather nan double-act - 1 which is now heading to Paris.

"To beryllium beating these benignant of guys is crazy," Hinchliffe said aft moving 10.18 seconds to overhaul 2022 champion Jeremiah Azu for his first British title.

"My coach told maine conscionable to execute my title and it will happen, you will beryllium British champion."

Hinchliffe entered 2024 pinch a individual champion of 10.17secs but, aft conscionable 1 wintertime moving alongside Lewis, has shattered nan 10-second barrier, claimed 2 important titles, and booked his Olympic debut.

In fact, that has each happened successful conscionable six weeks.

Recording nan second-fastest all-condition 100m successful British history pinch a wind-assisted 9.84 seconds successful May, he followed up that connection consequence by becoming nan first European man to triumph nan US collegiate 100m title.

In achieving occurrence astatine nan prestigious NCAA Championships - 1 twelvemonth aft finishing past successful nan semi-finals - he ran 9.95secs, his first ineligible sub-10, placing him sixth connected nan British all-time database while besides making him nan unexpected favourite for Paris qualification.

Despite nan unit of an expectant location crowd connected Saturday, Hinchliffe again displayed his propensity for performing connected nan large stage, not only securing nan top-two decorativeness required for Olympic qualification but demonstrating his fearlessness and singular shape to return victory.

Hinchliffe is nan first to admit nan important domiciled Lewis has played successful making his dreams travel existent truthful far.

"He has made a monolithic difference," said Hinchliffe.

"He's a nine-time Olympic champion, you conscionable person to beryllium an unfastened book and return successful each nan proposal he gives you.

"He'll make jokes and he'll besides beryllium difficult connected you erstwhile thing isn't right. He keeps maine connected nan correct track."

Speaking to BBC Sport earlier this year, Lewis joked: "If Louie goes to nan Olympic Games and wins 2 golden medals, I'll punctual him that he needs 7 more."

But remaining humble amid nan outer excitement is astatine nan forefront Hinchliffe's mind and, pinch Lewis' acquisition to study from, he is continuing to return a breakneck twelvemonth successful his stride.

His first Olympic experience, now only a period away, will undoubtedly beryllium enhanced by nan beingness of 1984 and 1988 100m champion Lewis, a man who knows each astir handling career-defining moments.

And aft witnessing first-hand nan advancement Hinchliffe has made during their comparatively short partnership, Lewis is not ruling thing retired arsenic a debut Games approaches for an jock he believes tin spell connected to go 1 of Britain's best.

"If he runs his best, he will make nan Olympic final," Lewis said.

"Once you're successful nan final, you're successful pinch a shot.

"The limit [for Louie]? Thank goodness we don't know. It intends we tin ever strive to get it.

"My extremity is for him to get to nan Olympic final. If you get there, anybody has a chance."