Zharnel Hughes, a British sprinter, made headlines on Saturday with his outstanding performance in the 100m race at the Grand Prix of athletics in New York. Hughes achieved the best performance of the season, clocking in at 9.83 seconds, breaking the old record of the United Kingdom. The 27-year-old athlete expressed his disbelief and excitement, stating, “9.83, it’s a dream. I wrote it down this morning.”
With a favorable wind of 1.3m/sec, Hughes surpassed his previous personal best of 9.91 seconds set in 2018. His time also marked the best performance in UK history, surpassing Linford Christie’s record of 9.87 seconds at the 1987 World Championships in Stuttgart. Additionally, Hughes’ time is the second-best in European history, only behind Marcell Jacobs’ 9.80 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Hughes, who is a double European champion in the 100m and 4x100m, showcased a remarkable finish to defeat Jamaican sprinter Ackeem Blake (9.93) and American sprinter Christian Coleman (10.02) at the New York event. The meeting served as preparation for the upcoming World Championships in Budapest, scheduled for August 19-27.
Following Hughes’ sensational performance, American athlete Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone continued to impress in the 400m hurdles. McLaughlin-Levrone, who is the double Olympic champion in 2021 and world champion in 2022, also competed in the 400m flat race. She secured victory with a convincing time of 49.51 seconds, improving upon her performance in Paris two weeks ago (49.71 seconds).
McLaughlin-Levrone, who holds the world record in the 400m hurdles with a time of 50.68 seconds, expressed her ambition to surpass the lap record set by German athlete Marita Koch (47.60 seconds) in 1985. Reflecting on her race strategy, McLaughlin-Levrone stated, “I started a little more cautiously, to feel the second part of the race a little better. The flat is harder in my opinion, that’s for sure. It’s difficult to determine your pedaling cadence halfway through. At least, with the hurdles, I know where I am.”
In other events, American prodigy Athing Mu made a successful comeback in the 800m race, winning with a time of 1 minute 58.73 seconds. Noah Lyles, a crowd favorite, won the 200m race with a relaxed performance of 19.83 seconds. American Keni Harrison, the second-fastest woman in the history of the 100m hurdles, achieved a time of 12.29 seconds, although the wind conditions were deemed too favorable (+2.8m/sec). In the men’s 110m hurdles, American Daniel Roberts secured victory with a time of 13.01 seconds, his best performance of the season, ahead of compatriot Devon Allen (13.04 seconds, his best time in 2023).
The athletes’ remarkable performances at the Grand Prix of athletics in New York have set the stage for an exciting season ahead, with the World Championships in Budapest just eight weeks away. Zharnel Hughes and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have demonstrated their potential for further success, leaving fans eagerly anticipating their future performances.
How does Zharnel Hughes’ record-breaking time in the 100m race at the Grand Prix of athletics in New York set him up for success at the upcoming World Championships in Budapest
Is outstanding performance, Zharnel Hughes, a British sprinter, made headlines on Saturday at the Grand Prix of athletics in New York. Hughes achieved the best performance of the season in the 100m race, clocking in at 9.83 seconds. This not only broke his personal best of 9.91 seconds, but it also shattered the old record of the United Kingdom.
With ideal wind conditions of 1.3m/sec, Hughes expressed his disbelief and excitement, stating, “9.83, it’s a dream. I wrote it down this morning.” The 27-year-old athlete surpassed the previous UK record set by Linford Christie of 9.87 seconds at the 1987 World Championships in Stuttgart.
Furthermore, Hughes’ remarkable time at the Grand Prix of athletics in New York marks the second-best performance in European history. It is only surpassed by Marcell Jacobs’ 9.80 seconds at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
In his stellar performance, Hughes showcased a brilliant finish, defeating Jamaican sprinter Ackeem Blake, who finished with a time of 9.93 seconds, and American sprinter Christian Coleman, who clocked in at 10.02 seconds.
The New York event served as valuable preparation for the upcoming World Championships in Budapest, scheduled for August 19-27. Hughes, a double European champion in both the 100m and 4x100m, is hopeful to continue his remarkable form and achieve further success on the global stage.
“Absolutely phenomenal! Zharnel Hughes has made history by setting a new world’s best time in the 100m at the New York Grand Prix. This talented Briton continues to push boundaries and showcase his incredible sprinting abilities. Congratulations on this remarkable achievement!”