GB sprinter tipped for Paris success by PE teacher

Sheffield sprinter Louie Hinchliffe will represent Great Britain at Paris 2024

The former PE teacher of Team GB sprinter Louie Hinchliffe has tipped him to do "really, really well" at this summer's Olympic Games.

Hinchliffe, 21, will represent his nation in the Men's 100m at Paris 2024 after winning the British title in Manchester last month.

The University of Houston student, from Crosspool in Sheffield, previously attended Notre Dame High School in the city from 2014 to 2021.

The school's head of PE Richard Downs said Hinchliffe "has got more to go".

Richard Downs has tipped his former pupil for Olympic success

Mr Downs, who also taught England and Manchester City star Kyle Walker at High Storrs School, told BBC Radio Sheffield: "All the signs are that he's going to do really, really well, he's not just there to make up the numbers.

"He's got more to go, he will be aiming to get to the final, I have no doubt."

Hinchliffe was also a talented golfer as a youngster and represented England alongside Alex Fitzpatrick, the younger brother of former US Open champion Matt, who has since turned professional in the sport himself.

Hinchliffe is now coached in the US by Carl Lewis, a man widely recognised as one of the greatest athletes of all time after a track and field career which saw him win nine Olympic gold medals as a sprinter and long-jumper.

Hinchliffe clocked 9.84 seconds in the 100m in May, but the result was deemed ineligible due to being 0.5m per second over the legal wind assistance limit.

At the time, it was the fastest 100m time in the world in 2024.

Mr Downs, 50, said he saw "something different" in both Hinchliffe and Walker at school.

"We did know Louie was really, really fast when he started," he added.

"He did ever so well in the Sheffield competitions. But we never dreamed that he would get here so quickly."

Staff at Notre Dame are "really, really proud" of their former pupil's achievements, said Mr Downs, who also taught British discus champion and friend of Hinchliffe Chukwuemeka Osammor.

"It's amazing to think that when he started at our school in 2014 we were there teaching PE to a boy that's going to possibly get to the Olympic final."

The Paris Olympics officially begin on 26 July, with the men's 100m event getting under way on 3 August.

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Carl Lewis (centre) on his way to one of four gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games