Zharnel Hughes: British athlete predicted his 9.83 run to break Linford Christie's 30-year 100m record

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Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes in actionImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Four-time European champion Zharnel Hughes helped Great Britain to world 4x100m relay bronze last year

"If you can dream it, you can achieve it," Zharnel Hughes wrote on Instagram, after running 9.83 seconds to break Linford Christie's 30-year British 100m record.

Not only did the 27-year-old dream it but, prior to his race in New York, Hughes had written down that he would make history by clocking that exact time.

The reigning European 200m champion took 0.04 secs off the previous record of 9.87 on Saturday, a mark which Christie had set at the World Championships in 1993.

Hughes' new record is the fastest time in the world this year, and the second fastest ever by a European athlete.

Only Italy's Marcell Jacobs, who ran 9.80 to win Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, has run faster.

He initially looked to be in disbelief after seeing his time - despite doing just as he had predicted.

"I woke up with a dream this morning," Hughes said. "This morning I woke up with 9.83 on my mind.

"When I looked at the clock and saw 9.83, I don't know if you saw my reaction, but I was like: 'What just happened there?' It actually came through.

"Manifestation is real."

He later shared a photo of his prediction, which read: "Competition day in New York. I'm going to run 9.83. Have faith."

Image source, Zharnel Hughes

'I've not even started speed work yet' - Hughes hints at more to come

Christie remains the only British man to have ever won World Championship 100m gold, with that victory in Stuttgart arriving a year after Olympic gold at Barcelona 1992.

Hughes said he was looking forward to seeing Christie "shaking his hand and telling him that this is long overdue".

"I always give respect to Linford. He always supports me every time I'm in the UK, and sometimes he helps out with my training sessions," Hughes said.

It is 20 years since a British man made the world 100m podium, since Darren Campbell won bronze in Paris in 2003.

British men to run under 10 seconds

Time

Athlete

Date

Place

9.83

Zharnel Hughes

24 June 2023

New York (United States)

9.87

Linford Christie

15 August 1993

Stuttgart (Germany)

9.91

James Dasaolu

13 July 2013

Birmingham (England)

9.93

Reece Prescod

31 May 2022

Ostrava (Czech Republic)

9.93

Eugene Amo-Dadzie

16 June 2023

Graz (Austria)

9.96

CJ Ujah

8 June 2014

Hengelo (Netherlands)

9.96

Joel Fearon

30 July 2016

Bedford (England)

9.97

Dwain Chambers

22 August 1999

Seville (Spain)

9.97

Adam Gemili

7 June 2015

Birmingham (England)

9.98

Jason Gardener

2 July 1999

Lausanne (Switzerland)

9.99

Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake

13 May 2017

Columbia (United States)

Hughes will take great confidence from his performance with less than two months until the World Championships in Budapest.

The Briton powered away from the field in impressive fashion over the final 50m, beating Jamaica's Ackeem Blake (9.93) to clinch victory at the New York Grand Prix

Saturday's race also featured American 2019 world 100m champion Christian Coleman, who finished third in 10.02.

After Hughes, the next fastest times in the world so far this year have been recorded by Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala (9.84secs) and the United States' reigning world champion Fred Kerley (9.88secs).

Hughes, whose personal best had been 9.91 since 2018, is coached by Glen Mills - the man who helped retired Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt win his eight Olympic medals.

Mills is the head coach of the Racers Track Club in Kingston, Jamaica, which was also the home of 2011 world 100m champion Yohan Blake - the second fastest man in history behind Bolt.

"Anything is possible," said Hughes.

"The great thing is, we haven't started speed work yet, so this is just raw speed and endurance. My coach is going to be elated."

Before thinking about the worlds, the UK Championships - which double as the trials for a place in the worlds team - will take place in Manchester on 8-9 July.

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