NEW YORK CITY (June 24) – Zharnel Hughes left spectators in awe at the NYC Grand Prix as he sprinted past Christian Coleman and Ackeem Blake in the men’s 100m, clinching victory in a remarkable British Record time of 9.83.
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Hughes, a Glen Mills athlete like Usain Bolt who broke the world record at the same venue in 2008, shattered a relic from the 1990s by surpassing Linford Christie’s 100m NR of 9.87.
“I wanted to come back here in a different event and prove myself and prove to the world I’m here,” said Hughes.
Not only does this achievement secure Hughes a place in the British athletics records books, but it also positions him as the second fastest European ever, just behind Olympic Champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs’ incredible 9.80 in the Tokyo Olympic Final.
While Ackeem Blake had the best start on the field, with Coleman closely following, Hughes showcased his top-end strength around the 55-meter mark, swiftly catching up to Coleman. In the final 30 meters, the Anguillan-born Kingston College alumnus stormed past Blake, securing a commanding world lead.
Blake finished as the only other athlete to complete the race in under 10 seconds, with a time of 9.93. Coleman took third place with a time of 10.02.
“Anything is possible,” said Hughes. “The great thing is we haven’t even really begun speed work yet; this is just raw speed endurance.”
In other events, Jamaican Traves Smikle claimed first place in the men’s discus with a throw of 65.36m, while compatriot Kai Chang ended the day in third place with 63.17m. Their performances were bookended by American Alex Rose’s effort of 64.63m.
In the Women’s Triple Jump, Dominican Triple Jumper Thea LaFond secured victory over American record holder Keturah Orji with a fifth jump measuring 14.47m. Canadian Caroline Ehrhadt finished in third place with a jump of 13.80m.
Similar to the men’s 100m, the women’s straightaway sprints witnessed tight finishes and disappointing losses for Jamaica.
Jamaican Briana Williams pushed Aleia Hobbs to the brink in the women’s 100m, resulting in a nail-biting finish with Hobbs winning by a narrow margin of 10.98 to 11.04. Melissa Jefferson took third place.
In the women’s 100m hurdles, Danielle Williams (12.33) narrowly missed out on victory as Americans Kendra Harrison (12.29) and Alaysha Johnson (12.30) crossed the finish line ahead of her.
Noah Lyles emerged victorious in the men’s 200m, beating emerging Surinam sprint prodigy Issam Asinga with a time of 19.83. Asinga finished in second place with a time of 20.25.
The Caribbean also showcased its strength in the men’s 400m, with Zadrion Barnes of Jamaica clinching victory over Americans Matthew Boling (45.58) and Trevor Stewart (45.85). In the women’s 400m, Sydney McLaughlin-Lavrone secured her second 400m win of her professional career with a personal best time of 49.51. Gabby Thomas finished in second place with a time of 50.29, while Cherokee Young took third place with a time of 51.02.
Danniel Thomas-Dodd put up an impressive performance in the shot put, securing second place with a throw of 19.38m. Her throw was sandwiched between Americans Maggie Ewen’s 19.68m and Chase Ealey’s 19.25m.
