LONDON (GBR): Zharnel Hughes, the talented sprinter hailing from the beautiful shores of Anguilla, set the track ablaze at his adopted country’s home meet – the London Diamond League, leaving spectators in awe with his jaw-dropping performance.
Hughes, who trains Racers Track Club in Jamaica, once shared the training ground with the iconic Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.
The 28-year-old sprinter’s journey began when he decided to leave his homeland and join the NACAC High-Performance Centre in Jamaica, seeking to hone his craft and unlock his full potential. As destiny would have it, he trained alongside sprinting legends Bolt and Blake at the Racers Track Club.
Before becoming a big name in Britain’s track and field, Hughes attended Kingston College (KC), where he made his mark by holding the Champs record with an impressive time of 10.11. His relentless dedication and exceptional talent paved the way for more outstanding achievements on the global stage.
Hughes, at the New York Grand Prix on June 24, ran 9.83 seconds to erase Linford Christie’s British record of 9.87 seconds. He followed that up by winning the sprint double at the British Championships earlier this month. ALSO READ: Zharnel Hughes Dominates British Championships with Sprint Double
In a display of confidence, Hughes boldly predicted a record-breaking time of 19.73 seconds ahead of his race at the London Diamond League. And true to his words, he delivered on that prophecy with astounding precision. His electrifying run secured the victory and etched his name in the history books as he shattered the 30-year-old British record of 19.94 seconds, previously held by the legendary John Regis.
“I did it again – I predicted it. I wrote it down that exact time this morning, at about 9.30 am,” shared a jubilant Hughes. “I wanted to get the British record here on home soil, and I did it. I don’t care about winning, as long as I execute the time that my coach wanted and get the British record,” he added.
With each stride he takes, Zharnel Hughes continues to exemplify the spirit of determination and excellence as he prepares to take on the world at the Budapest 23 World Championships in less than a month.
“I’m going to be preparing myself nicely (for Budapest),” while adding, “I’m pretty sure [Noah Lyles, the man to beat] is going to do the same.
“When we come on the track, we are like enemies, but after that, we are pretty good friends. We want track and field to see the energy. It’s good to show some sportsmanship, some personality as well.”
He said Sunday at the London Diamond League “was an experimental day for me.”
“I’m still learning the 200m because I’ve stopped running the 200 since 2015 probably,” he told BBC TV.
“For me, I’m just learning, bettering my performance. I followed the instruction my coach gave me. It’s very good running against these guys.
His relentless pursuit of greatness and humble beginnings from Anguilla to becoming the British record holder in 100m and 200m serve as a beacon of hope, reminding the world that dreams can be realized through hard work, passion, and unwavering belief in oneself.
