Hinchliffe achieves Olympic dream with help of Lewis

Louie Hinchliffe has been coached by sprinting legend Carl Lewis since last August

After watching her son claim his latest sensational victory, this time to secure a place in the Olympic 100m at Paris 2024 as the British champion, Louie Hinchliffe's mother paid tribute to the relationship at the heart of the 21-year-old's rapid rise to prominence.

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

These increasingly significant achievements, and the attention that accompanies them, are all as new to his family as they are to Louie himself.

They are not as unknown to American icon Carl Lewis, winner of nine Olympic gold medals and now Hinchliffe's coach. But the rate of progress has come as quite a surprise all the same.

Already in 2024, everything has changed for Sheffield-born Hinchliffe, who only reached out to Lewis 10 months ago and has since burst through as one of Britain's most exciting talents.

And, after he stunned the competition to triumph in miserable conditions in Manchester on Saturday night, the biggest moment is yet to come.

"The sky is the limit," a proud Lewis said after watching his athlete's superb victory from the stands.

"When I first heard from him last year, I looked at a video of him and I saw the mistakes he was making.

"I told him he could make the Olympic team, I thought maybe in the relay, but then he started to progress and his times went down so fast."

Hinchliffe sought Lewis' guidance to maximise his potential after taking the decision - at first unpopular with his parents - to move to the United States and prioritise his athletics following a year as a university fresher in the UK.

They are proving quite the double-act - one which is now heading to Paris.

"To be beating these kind of guys is crazy," Hinchliffe said after running 10.18 seconds to overhaul 2022 champion Jeremiah Azu for his first British title.

"My coach told me just to execute my race and it will happen, you will be British champion."

Hinchliffe entered 2024 with a personal best of 10.17secs but, after just one winter working alongside Lewis, has shattered the 10-second barrier, claimed two significant titles, and booked his Olympic debut.

In fact, that has all happened in just six weeks.

Recording the second-fastest all-condition 100m in British history with a wind-assisted 9.84 seconds in May, he followed up that statement result by becoming the first European man to win the US collegiate 100m title.

In achieving success at the prestigious NCAA Championships - one year after finishing last in the semi-finals - he ran 9.95secs, his first legal sub-10, placing him sixth on the British all-time list while also making him the unexpected favourite for Paris qualification.

Despite the pressure of an expectant home crowd on Saturday, Hinchliffe again displayed his propensity for performing on the big stage, not only securing the top-two finish required for Olympic qualification but demonstrating his fearlessness and remarkable form to take victory.

Hinchliffe is the first to acknowledge the crucial role Lewis has played in making his dreams come true so far.

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

"He's a nine-time Olympic champion, you just have to be an open book and take in all the advice he gives you.

"He'll make jokes and he'll also be hard on you when something isn't right. He keeps me on the right track."

Speaking to BBC Sport earlier this year, Lewis joked: "If Louie goes to the Olympic Games and wins two gold medals, I'll remind him that he needs seven more."

But remaining humble amid the external excitement is at the forefront Hinchliffe's mind and, with Lewis' experience to learn from, he is continuing to take a breakneck year in his stride.

His first Olympic experience, now only a month away, will undoubtedly be enhanced by the presence of 1984 and 1988 100m champion Lewis, a man who knows all about handling career-defining moments.

And after witnessing first-hand the progress Hinchliffe has made during their relatively short partnership, Lewis is not ruling anything out as a debut Games approaches for an athlete he believes can go on to become one of Britain's best.

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

"Once you're in the final, you're in with a shot.

"The limit [for Louie]? Thank goodness we don't know. It means we can always strive to get it.

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