Zharnel Hughes breaks 30-year-old British 100m record with 'dream' run
Caroline Ehrhardt top Canadian at NYC Grand Prix with 3rd-place finish in triple jump
Zharnel Hughes produced the performance of his dreams to break Linford Christie's 30-year-old British record in the 100 metres on Saturday, winning at the New York City Grand Prix in 9.83 seconds.
The 27-year-old exploded off the blocks and held off Jamaican Ackeem Blake by a tenth of a second to break former Olympic champion Christie's national record, set in August 1993, by 4-100ths of a second.
American Christian Coleman, the world champion in Doha four years ago, settled for third place in 10.02.
"I woke up with a dream this morning … this morning I woke up with 9.83 on my mind," said Hughes, who helped Britain to win bronze in the 4x100 relay at the world championships in Eugene last year.
"When I looked at the clock and saw 9.83 — I don't know if you saw my reaction — but I was like 'What just happened there!' It actually came through. Manifestation is real."
It was an auspicious performance for Hughes, who trains with retired great Usain Bolt's coach Glen Mills, with this year's worlds set for Aug. 19-27 in Budapest, Hungary.
Hughes, who took silver in the 100 and gold in the 200 at the European Championships last year, told reporters he has "no expectations" for the worlds, with more work left to be done.
"I wasn't coming up here thinking about breaking records — I just wanted to run fast," said Hughes, who planned to reward himself with a classic slice of New York pizza after the Continental Tour Gold event.
"I didn't try to do anything crazy. I didn't try to say, 'Get the perfect start' — I didn't get the perfect start — but I relaxed and that's what's really important for me."
Lyles wins 200m, ties Bolt's record
American Noah Lyles showed no loss of form to thrash the 200m field.
Lyles exploded off the blocks and never ceded the lead to cross the finish in 19.83 and tie retired great Usain Bolt's record for the most sub-20-second finishes in the 200m.
Issam Asinga of Suriname took second in 20.25 and American Elijah Morrow finished third in 20.30.
"The main reason I came out here was to make sure that I get up to top speed today. Especially in that first 100. I was really proud of that moment," said Lyles, who retained his 200m world crown in a U.S. sweep last year.
"A little bit of hitch coming off the turn but nothing to be worried about."
The ebullient Olympic bronze medallist rolled through the Big Apple less than two weeks before the U.S. trials kick off on July 6 in Eugene, Oregon.
Canada's Ehrhardt 3rd in women's triple jump
Caroline Ehrhardt of Espanola, Ont., was the top Canadian on the day with a third-place finish in the women's triple jump.
The 31-year-old secured a jump of 13.80 metres, which trailed Dominica's Thea Lafond's first-place mark of 14.47 and American Keturah Orji (14.30).
Madeleine Kelly of Hamilton was the only other Canadian competitor on Saturday, finishing 10th in the women's 800 with a time of 2:02.72.
The American trio of Athing Mu, Sage Hurta-Klecker and Allie Wilson went 1-2-3, with Mu being the lone competitor to break the two-minute mark in 1:58.73.
McLaughlin-Levrone cruises to 400m victory
Hurdle queen Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's experiment in the 400m flat appeared to be paying off on Saturday, when she cruised to victory in 49.51 seconds.
American McLaughlin-Levrone wrestled the lead at the halfway point from compatriot and 200m Olympic bronze medallist Gabby Thomas, who finished second in 50.29. Jamaican Charokee Young took third in 51.02.
"The flat is definitely harder in my opinion. It's hard to kind of figure out your cadence mid-race. At least with hurdles I kind of know where I'm at. It's a different kind of pain but the challenging good one," McLaughlin-Levrone said.
The 23-year-old took a huge chunk out of her own 400m hurdles world record last year to win the world championship in 50.68 and become the first woman to break the 51-second barrier in the event.
On the same night, she eyed new territory and told reporters she was considering a foray into the 400m flat.
McLaughlin-Levrone finished second in her 400m season debut at the Paris Diamond League earlier this month and said she had deployed a new technique to achieve her personal best at the Continental Tour Gold event in New York.
"Compared to the Diamond League race in Paris, I went out a little more conservatively to kind of feel the back end a little bit better. I did a good job of that," she told reporters. "Some things to clean up, but a PR is a PR."
With files from CBC Sports
