Zharnel Hughes achieved a remarkable feat by smashing Linford Christie's long-standing British record in the 100 meters, fulfilling his lifelong dream. The 27-year-old sprinter triumphed at the
NYC Grand Prix, completing the race in a stunning time of 9.83 seconds.
With an explosive start, Hughes held off Jamaican athlete Ackeem Blake by a mere tenth of a second, surpassing former Olympic champion Christie's national record established in August 1993 by a narrow margin of four hundredths of a second.
Christian Coleman, the reigning world champion from Doha four years ago, settled for third place with a time of 10.02 seconds.
"I woke up with a vision this morning... I had 9.83 on my mind," exclaimed Hughes, who contributed to Britain's bronze medal in the 4x100 meters relay at the previous year's world championships in Eugene.
"When I glanced at the clock and saw 9.83 -- I don't know if you witnessed my reaction -- but I was like, 'Did that really happen?' It became a reality. Manifestation is indeed powerful."
This outstanding performance bodes well for Hughes, who trains under the guidance of renowned coach Glen Mills, the mentor of retired sprinting legend Usain Bolt. The upcoming World Championships in Budapest hold great promise for the determined athlete.
Having secured silver in the 100 meters and gold in the 200 meters at the European Championships last year, Hughes humbly shared with reporters that he harbors "no expectations" for the upcoming world championships. He believes there is still work to be done.
"I wasn't focused on breaking records today -- my primary goal was to sprint at an incredible speed," revealed Hughes, who planned to reward himself with a classic New York pizza slice after the conclusion of the Continental Tour Gold event. Photo by Erik van Leeuwen (bron: Wikipedia), Wikimedia commons.