Following his Summer Olympic gold medal in Paris, British sprinter Louie Hinchliffe has declared his decision to become a professional athlete.
In the Olympic men’s 4×100-metre relay, the 22-year-old helped the British team win bronze, capping off a remarkable career surge. With this, Hinchliffe has decided to pursue a career in sprinting instead of completing his last year at the University of Houston, where he trained under nine-time Olympic gold winner Carl Lewis.
Hinchliffe’s athletic journey
After winning the US collegiate (NCAA) 100-metre race in June with a performance record of 9.95 seconds, Hinchliffe went on to win the British Championships during that same month, earning a spot at the Paris Games. He missed qualifying for the 100-metre final, but he and teammates Zharnel Hughes, Jeremiah Azu, and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake won the bronze in the relay.
With all of his achievements, the young athlete admitted: “What a season it’s been. I’ve experienced the highest of highs in my first year at the University of Houston… I’ve become an NCAA champion, a national champion and an Olympic semi-finalist, all while living out my dreams as a Cougar.”
He added: “With that being said, after speaking with my family, I have decided to forego the remainder of my collegiate eligibility and embark on a career as a professional athlete… I would like to thank coach [Will] Blackburn and coach [Carl] Lewis for your belief and support of me. I hope that someday I can give back as much as you both have given to me.”
Source: BBC