Punching the air as he crossed the finish line, the Louie who no one thought would be king seized his crown. “It’s kind of surreal, a couple of months ago no one really knew me,” said an awestruck Louie Hinchliffe after greeting his newly found adoring fans. “Overnight I’ve had to get used to taking selfies.”
His unlikely rapid conversion from anonymous student to Britain’s next sprint star was complete. The last time Hinchliffe, 21, competed at the British Championships two years ago he failed to advance from the 100m heats. Into a headwind on a grimly cold Manchester evening he elevated that premature exit to gold; an upgrade of epic proportions that brings with it a Team GB spot at the Paris Olympics.
