PARIS, France — It was a surprise at the finish line on Saturday during the men’s 100-meter prelims.
American sprinter Noah Lyles, who earned the title of fastest man in the world in 2023, is on the hunt for his first gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
But in Saturday’s 100-meter prelims, Lyles came in second behind British sprinter Louie Hinchliffe.
Hinchliffe ran a 9.98, followed closely by Lyles’ 10.04. Both advanced to the men’s 100-meter semifinals on Sunday.
Running for Team Great Britain, 22-year-old Hinchliffe has built a strong record of gold-medal worthy races.
Hinchliffe spent his freshman year at Washington State University in 2023. During his indoor season for the Cougs, Hinchliffe ran the university’s No. 2 fastest time in the 60-meter dash and tied the 100-meter record during his outdoor season.
He then transferred to the University of Houston where he won the 100-meter title at the NCAA Championships in June, running a 9.95.
Just a few weeks later, he also snagged a championship title for the 100-meter in the UK Athletics Championship in Manchester, England.
At the Paris Olympics, Hinchliffe could make another appearance in the men's 4x100-meter relay as he also qualified for Great Britain’s relay pool.
The men’s 100-meter semifinal is at 11:05 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 4, followed by the final at 12:50 p.m.
