Somebody ask Zharnel Hughes for subsequent week’s lottery numbers. A month after he as it should be predicted the precise time he would run when clocking 9.83sec to wreck Linford Christie’s 100m British report, Hughes repeated the trick earlier than shattering John Regis’s 200m mark in entrance of a sold-out London Stadium.
The quantity he wrote in his little black e book on Sunday morning? 19.73 sec. The time he then ran a couple of hours later when completing 3rd within the Diamond League race at the back of America’s international champion Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo, of Botswana? 19.73 sec. Not even Mystic Meg was once that just right.
“It’s the exact time again,” mentioned an elated Hughes. “Again. I sought after to do it right here on house soil and I did it.
“I do not care about successful. As lengthy as I execute the plan that my trainer sought after and we get the British report, we’ve got issues we will paintings on. I’m playing myself. I feel that is why I’m operating as fast as you guys are seeing.”
As the fastest man in the world over 100m this year and fourth fastest over 200m, there is a real sense that Hughes should win a first individual world championships medal at next month’s event.
Excelling on the biggest stage was a regular occurrence for Christie and Regis, whose respective British records of 9.87sec and 19.94sec had stood since 1993. Hughes has now consigned them to the history books in the space of one month, although he was powerless to catch Lyles (19.47sec) and Tebogo (19.50sec)on Sunday.
“I feel he [Hughes] can cross so much quicker. He’s the long run,” said Regis. “He didn’t just beat it, he destroyed it. This is a new generation of youngsters and he is leading the pack. Go forward and put that record into the 19.50sec.”
There was once additional British sprinting encouragement for Dina Asher-Smith, who narrowly neglected her 100m nationwide report when clocking 10.85sec for 2nd at the back of Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Ivory Coast. Having struggled to achieve her lofty requirements now and then this summer season, Asher-Smith’s time was once an enormous season’s absolute best in her ultimate race earlier than the Budapest international championships.
“It’s been building to a point,” mentioned Asher-Smith. “It simply bodes truly smartly. It’s simply all about Budapest on the finish of August, which continues to be moderately a protracted whilst away. And I’m in reality truly excited.”
It was not all smooth sailing for Britain’s world championship medal hopefuls. Keely Hodgkinson was supposed to be the day’s headline act, but withdrew half an hour before the 800m, which was won by fellow Briton Jemma Reekie in 1min 57.30sec.
Holly Bradshaw’s harm misfortune since successful Olympic pole vault bronze two years in the past persevered when she failed her first try and pulled out with a leg drawback, whilst Matthew Hudson-Smith left the observe in a wheelchair after completing fourth within the 400m. He later returned and mentioned a continual foot drawback would now not derail his international championship medal hopes.