PARIS, France — Team Great Britain pulled off a bronze medal win in the men’s 4x100-meter relay at the Paris Olympics on Friday, with help from a former Washington State University sprinter.
Louie Hinchliffe is a British sprinter who spent his freshman year running for Washington State University in 2023.
Hinchliffe, 22, was the second leg of the men’s relay on Aug. 9. Hinchliffe received the baton from Jeremiah Azu and handed off to Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, before anchor Zharnel Hughes crossed the finish line in 37.61.
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South Africa finished in second place and Canada won gold with a time of 37.50.
The race ended in disappointment for the American men, who had an uncoordinated first handoff outside of the zone. Team USA was disqualified and wouldn’t have medaled in the race anyway.
Hinchliffe ran in the men's 100-meter prelims, beating would-be gold medalist Noah Lyles. Hinchliffe ran a 9.98, followed closely by Lyles’ 10.04. Both advanced to the men’s 100-meter semifinals on Sunday, where Hinchliffe did not advance.
On Sunday, Lyles ended up winning the 100-meter race by a lead of just .005 ahead of Jamaica's Kishane Thompson.
Collegiate career
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.
