Hughes warns Kerley, Omayala: I can be even faster at World Championships

Zharnel Hughes has warned those who will be vying for the 100m gold at August’s 19th World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary that he could run
faster than the 9.83 world lead he ran to win at the USTAF Grand Prix in New York on Saturday.

Hughes didn’t go past the semifinal despite running 9.97 in the first round heats in Oregon last year but the 27 year old who broke Linford Christie’s
British record with his incredible, lifetime setting run in New York has jumped to the top of the favourites’ list.

Fred Kerley is the defending World champion after running 9.86 in Oregon to win his first individual global title and has remained undefeated this year in
the four 100m races he has ran including in two Diamond League meetings.

Africa and Commonwealth 100m champion, Fred Omanyala is also in form and held the world lead at 9.84 before Hughes’ explosive run last Saturday.

Hughes has now told the duo and others who may come up as pre-championships favourites he can still run faster in Budapest.

‘I want to stay focused and put in the work. I just got back from the gym so the work continues. It’s buzzing all over the place. I can do well, but I have
to get myself there. Once I do that, the preparation. I’m pretty sure once I get to the World Championships, I can be even faster,’ he said in an interview
with Skysport News.

Hughes has also revealed his comparison to reigning world record holder in the event, Usain Bolt by the man who trained the Jamaican to his legendary status
on the track.

The Briton says coach Glen Mills ‘has told him he has similar traits to Usain Bolt’

‘He always compares the both of us at times. He’s always like, ‘I see similar traits in you than what I see in Usain’,” Hughes told Sky Sports News.

‘I’m a little bit shorter than Usain, so my frequency is much faster, but we have a lot of similar attributes in regards to how we run. So I think that’s the
exciting bit that my coach likes about it.’

The comparison may have sent an ominous message to Hughes’ competitors who may have threatened by his burst onto the stage with less than 60 days to the
start of World Athletics’ flagship event.