By Matt Hardy
Zharnel Hughes starred at London Stadium yesterday as the Brit set a new national record in the 200m at the Diamond League.
A packed arena of 50,000 watched on as the 28-year-old finished third behind American Noah Lyles – who set a world lead and meeting record time – and Letsile Tebogo in the half-circuit race in east London.
Hughes’ time of 19.73 topples the time of 19.87 set by John Regis in 1994 – the Brit picked up a £5,000 cheque for breaking the national record this weekend.
And it comes just weeks after the Brit beat Linford Christie’s 100m record.
Lyles joked before the race that Hughes could “most definitely” break the British record.
Elsewhere at the first Diamond League meet in London since 2019, Britton Jemma Reekie stormed to victory in the 800m after pre-race favourite Keely Hodgkinson withdrew just moments before the event due to illness.
“We’ve got amazing runners in Britain, [we were] missing Keely today but we know she’ll be on top form at the World Championships,” Reekie said after the win.
Dina Asher-Smith impressed to come second in the 100m behind Marie-Josee Ta Lou after Sha’Carri Richardson pulled out and Shericka Jackson failed to challenge.
The World Championships take place in August in Budapest this year with Great Britain aiming to top a disappointing haul of just seven medals (one gold) last time out in Eugene, United States.
