Richard Kilty hopes 'bromance' with Team GB team-mate can propel him to relay podium

By Paul Martin at Stade de France

Richard Kilty hopes his northern ‘bromance’ with Louie Hinchliffe can help power Team GB to relay glory at the Stade de France.

The Teesside Tornado ran the penultimate leg as the British 4x100m quartet, also including Jeremiah Azu, Hinchliffe, and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, qualified third in their heat to book a place in Friday night’s final.

Kilty received the baton from Hinchliffe, the new kid on the British sprinting block who hails from Sheffield and has excelled on the American college circuit so far this year.

"We’re two northern souls who have come together," he said. "It’s great to have Louie in the team, he’s the future.

“It's great to have him take the baton from the older guys.

“It’ll be my last Olympics, maybe Nethaneel (Mitchell-Blake)’s, but these guys are the future and it’s an honour to share the track with them.

Hinchliffe is relishing his first Olympic experience and beat eventual champion Noah Lyles in his individual 100m heat before going out in the semi-finals.

He also credited a northern bond with Kilty as key to the relay team’s chances of a podium and said: "It was a slick changeover.

“We’re from the north, we both grew up in the same environment, so it’s so easy.

“We are in sync with each other and spend so much time with each other."

Kilty and his teammates are looking to banish the painful memories of Tokyo, which saw the 4x100m squad have their silver medal rescinded when CJ Ujah later failed a drugs test.

The 34-year-old from Middlesbrough has said he will never forgive his ‘reckless and sloppy’ teammate, who was reintroduced to the relay set-up earlier this year but is not in Paris and believes the spirit in the camp can help them succeed this time around.

“We’re with each other 24-7, we’re sharing ideas, that’s what a team does,” he said.

“We go out there, we protect each other, we trust each other, we’ve got even more in the tank for tomorrow night. That’s the fastest we’ve run in a while now."

Azu, who saw his individual dreams ended after a false start in his first round, added: “It was nice to get out there and actually run.

“Last time it didn’t end great but it’s nice to be back and have my Olympic debut experience and qualify for the final.

“Right time and right place. I believe things come together at the right time.”

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