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.<\/span><\/p>\n Hughes, 27, ran 9.83 seconds to take 0.04 off Linford Christie’s long-standing mark in New York on Saturday. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n That time is the fastest time in the world this year, and the second fastest ever by a European athlete.<\/span><\/p>\n “It was a surreal moment,” European 200m champion Hughes told BBC Sport.<\/span><\/p>\n “I’m just so happy to achieve a major milestone in my career,” he added. <\/span><\/p>\n “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.”<\/span><\/p>\n 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”.<\/span><\/p>\n “I wrote it down but you still have to go there and do it,” Hughes said.<\/span><\/p>\n “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. <\/span><\/p>\n “I’m still in shock about it, manifestation is real!”<\/span><\/p>\n Christie set his former record in becoming Great Britain’s first – and to date only – world men’s 100m champion in Stuttgart in 1993.<\/span><\/p>\n The 1992 Olympic gold medallist is no stranger to Hughes, who he assists in training whenever the Jamaica-based athlete is in the UK.<\/span><\/p>\n “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.<\/span><\/p>\n “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.”<\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n 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”.<\/span><\/p>\n “The guy sees every single error that needs to be corrected,” Hughes said. “He has been drilling my technique into me every single day.”<\/span><\/p>\n Hughes will be returning to Britain before July’s UK Championships, which also includes the world trials.<\/span><\/p>\n There, he is plotting a sprint double in the 100m and 200m. <\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span><\/p>\n However, he is yet to finalise those plans and, should he secure his place, another double-up there is not out of the question. <\/span><\/p>\n “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.<\/span><\/p>\n “I just need to stay focused and consistent and we’ll get there. The sky is the limit.”<\/span><\/p>\n He added: “When we get closer we’ll decide what we’ll do in Budapest, maybe even a double.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Zharnel](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/onesport\/cps\/624\/cpsprodpb\/11A8A\/production\/_130203327_-2377b74c-cd35-4e84-95a1-35f5c2a766fe.png\")
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