Louie Hinchliffe resumed his collegiate career at his alma mater, the University of Houston, after turning professional with ASICS following his 2024 Paris Olympic success. He has struggled with a hamstring injury and a stress fracture in his back and had limited appearances with the Great Britain national team last year.
Hinchliffe returned under the tutelage of Carl Lewis, who is in his fourth year as head coach of the University of Houston track and field team.
Louie Hinchliffe Makes a Comeback to the University of Houston
Lewis, who restored Houston’s reputation as a sprint powerhouse, welcomed Hinchliffe to the track and field team after the latter’s brief time at Washington State University. In an NCAA qualification event in 2024, he lowered his wind-legal personal best to 10s and clocked a wind-assisted 100m time of 9.84s to book his seat on the Nationals roster.
The 23-year-old went on to win the 100m title at the NCAA Championships that year, becoming the first European to achieve so and etching his name sixth on the British all-time list. In the same season, Hinchliffe also won the British National title. He subsequently earned an Olympic qualification and headed to Paris to compete in the 100m and men’s 4x100m relay.
Hinchliffe won his first senior title, a bronze in the relay, but went out in the 100m semifinals after defeating champion Noah Lyles in the first round. Following the campaign, the sprinter joined the likes of Richard Kilty after turning pro with ASICS, but his path ahead was not what he planned. He had brief appearances with the national team, dealing with a stress fracture and a hamstring injury.
As per recent news, he handed his ASICS contract to NIL Go and, after approval, completed the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Process, receiving clearance. He will next be in contention in the Big 12 Indoor Championships with two years of eligibility under his belt.
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Hinchliffe reached out to Carl Lewis in October last year, and since then, he has worked with the school’s compliance office and coaching staff to return to his alma mater. As Lewis did not entertain working with anyone who was not enrolled in school or had not graduated from college, the 2024 NCAA champion worked to obtain clearance and join his team.
In an interview, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist shared that his tutee not only wanted to become a top track and field athlete but also fulfill a dream of his family. Lewis expressed pride in Hinchliffe, noting that he had acknowledged his mistake and wished to return to college, even though most athletes would not.
