British sprinter Zharnel Hughes says “the sky is the limit” after breaking the 30-year British men’s 100m record, with his next target securing a place on the World Championships podium.
Hughes, 27, ran 9.83 seconds to take 0.04 off Linford Christie’s long-standing mark in New York on Saturday.
That time is the fastest time in the world this year, and the second fastest ever by a European athlete.
“It was a surreal moment,” European 200m champion Hughes told BBC Sport.
“I’m just so happy to achieve a major milestone in my career,” he added.
“It is something I have been working towards but my main focus wasn’t to go there and break the record, it was to execute my race properly.”
Despite the British record not being his primary aim, remarkably Hughes did predict his exact time, which he wrote down prior to his race accompanied by the words “have faith”.
“I wrote it down but you still have to go there and do it,” Hughes said.
“When I saw that exact time come up on the board, it was surreal. I wrote 9.83 down and now I’m seeing it.
“I’m still in shock about it, manifestation is real!”
Christie set his former record in becoming Great Britain’s first – and to date only – world men’s 100m champion in Stuttgart in 1993.
The 1992 Olympic gold medallist is no stranger to Hughes, who he assists in training whenever the Jamaica-based athlete is in the UK.
“It feels good because every time I’m over in the UK Linford will catch my times for me, but we never actually spoke about the record,” Hughes said.
“I’m looking forward to being in the UK next week, shaking his hand and giving him a big hug. We have a really good relationship.”
Hughes is coached by Glen Mills, the man who helped retired Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt, holder of the 100m world record, achieve his eight Olympic medals.
He described Mills, head coach of the Racers Track Club in Kingston which was also the home of Yohan Blake, the second fastest man in history, as a “perfectionist”.
“The guy sees every single error that needs to be corrected,” Hughes said. “He has been drilling my technique into me every single day.”
Hughes will be returning to Britain before July’s UK Championships, which also includes the world trials.
There, he is plotting a sprint double in the 100m and 200m.
Understandably after his record-breaking run, he says the 100m will likely be his main target at the World Championships in Budapest, which begin on 19 August.
However, he is yet to finalise those plans and, should he secure his place, another double-up there is not out of the question.
“We’re still in June, and the World Championships are in August, so I’m pretty sure I can still go a lot faster,” Hughes said.
“I just need to stay focused and consistent and we’ll get there. The sky is the limit.”
He added: “When we get closer we’ll decide what we’ll do in Budapest, maybe even a double.
“But I’m looking forward to running the 100m and I think my time would be enough to get me on the podium.
“Why not shoot for the podium?”
