Zharnel Hughes has broken Linford Christie’s British men’s 100m record, which had stood for 30 years, by clocking 9.83 seconds in New York.
The 27-year-old took 0.04 secs off the previous mark of 9.87, which Christie set at the World Championships in 1993.
Hughes said he was looking forward to “seeing him, shaking his hand and telling him that this is long overdue.”
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.
Hughes, who won European 200m gold and 100m silver last year, beat Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake (9.93) to clinch victory at the New York Grand Prix on Saturday.
On breaking Christie’s record, he said: “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.”
Saturday’s race also featured the United States’ 2019 world 100m champion Christian Coleman, who finished third in 10.02. –BBC
