By Lori Ewing
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Zharnel Hughes came tantalisingly close to shattering another decades-old British sprint record on Sunday, winning the 200 metres at the UK Athletics Championships in a blistering 19.87 seconds, spoiled by an illegal wind.
Hughes, who had won the 100m a day earlier in a torrential downpour, dipped under the 20-second barrier for the first time in his career in drier conditions, but the wind of 2.3 metres per second was over the allowable 2.0.
“I felt amazing, I knew I was in good shape,” Hughes said. “I wanted to make it special today, as in the 100m I was soaking wet! I wanted to see what I could do in the dry conditions.
“I’m relieved about the times I’m putting on display at the moment. For a long time I have known these performances have been in me, but to execute them now at this stage is brilliant. I have put so much work in this season, and it’s showing.”
The 27-year-old smashed Linford Christie’s 30-year-old British record in the 100m two weeks ago in a world-leading 9.83, setting a statement ahead of the world championships in Budapest.
Running out of lane seven at the Manchester Regional Arena on Sunday, Hughes came out of the blocks in a few giant strides and ran blind the rest of the way. Joe Ferguson finished second in 20.43.
“The best is yet to come, dropping these times is great,” Hughes said.
John Regis set the British record of 19.94 in 1993.
Daryll Neita, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist in the 4x100m relay, clocked a stadium and championship record 22.26 in the women’s 200m.
Katie Snowden outsprinted Laura Muir down the homestretch to win the women’s 1,500m in an upset victory over the Olympic silver medallist. Muir crossed in 4 minutes and 10.24 seconds.
“I knew my training had gone really well,” Snowden said. “I was feeling confident and psychologically ready. I knew I could come into the top two, not necessarily expecting to beat Laura.
“It feels even more special when you know that you are competing with the best of the best in the UK.”
Olympic and world silver medallist Keely Hodgkinson cruised to victory in the 800m on her home track. The 21-year-old, who ran a world-leading 1:55.77 a month ago in Paris, hung near the front of the pack through the first lap and then kicked into high gear over the final 100 metres to cross in 1:58.26.
Adele Nicoll won the women’s shot put with a heave of 17.26 metres, despite a winter away from throwing.
“I train for bobsleigh through the winter so then training starts in April for me,” said Nicoll, a World Cup silver medallist in bobsleigh and winter Olympian in Beijing in 2022. “I like to prove I can do whatever I put my mind to.”
Tade Ojora shrugged off a couple of seasons of heartbreak by clinching a spot on the world team with his third national victory in the men’s 110m hurdles.
The 23-year-old narrowly missed the 2020 Olympic team and then ran the qualifying standard for the 2022 worlds, but an illegal tailwind nullified his time.
“It feels amazing to have secured a place on the British team at the worlds especially as I just missed it last year even after getting a couple of British champs,” Ojora said.
Alex Haydock-Wilson won the men’s 400m, but the story of the race was world bronze medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith pulling up less than 100 metres in. Hudson-Smith walked off the track gingerly, but did not appear seriously injured.
The world championships are Aug. 19-27 in Hungary.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
