Hughes completes sprint double with 200m victory at UK Championships
MANCHESTER, England - Zharnel Hughes stormed to victory in the men's 200 metres at the UK Athletics Championships on Sunday in Birmingham to complete the sprint double and secure a spot in that event at next month's World Championships in Tokyo.
Hughes, who won the 100m on Saturday, clocked 19.90 seconds to break the competition record, becoming the first runner to duck under the 20-second barrier at a British championship.
"Winning the 100m yesterday was pretty cool, but I wanted the 200m title more," Hughes said. "My coach will get me a lot sharper for the Championships - I'm excited to see what I can do in Tokyo."
Dina Asher-Smith held off newly-crowned 100m champion Amy Hunt to win a women's 200m that was determined by a photo finish, with both clocking 22.14, also a championship record.
"It was an excellent race, we needed a photo-finish because neither of us knew who had won," Asher-Smith said. "But I am happy to come here and run a low-22, it is a fantastic time."
Daryll Neita, who was disqualified for a false start in Saturday's 100m -- but is still eligible to race that distance in Tokyo, according to UK Athletics -- was third in 22.30, to secure the 200m world qualifying time.
Max Burgin won the men's 800m in a fast 1:43.92, while Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell clocked 1:59.53 to win her first British women's 800m title.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore No plans to fully liberalise cross-border ride-hailing services between Singapore and Johor: LTA
Singapore LTA, Singapore bus operators reviewing Malaysia's request to start services from JB at 4am
World Trump is winning his trade war, but Americans will pay the price
Singapore President Tharman meets migrant workers who saved driver of car that fell into sinkhole
Singapore Singapore must stay socially progressive while conserving its cultures: President Tharman
Sport A 'wake-up call': National coach Gary Tan on Singapore swimmers' performances at WCH 2025
Opinion The charm – and drawbacks – of living in a time warp in Singapore
Life KPop Demon Hunters to get sequels, expanded universe to include musical, live-action remake
Hunter Bell is undecided whether she will run the 800m or 1500m or both in Tokyo.
"How cool would it be to follow in the footsteps of the great British athletes like Seb Coe, Kelly Holmes, Steve Cram, who did double up, and were successful – it's hard to decide," she said.
World 1500m champion Josh Kerr moved up to the 5,000m and raced to victory in 13:44.73.
"It was always going to be tough out there over the last mile but I really enjoyed the first eight laps," Kerr said. "That was fun." REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
17 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Singaporean swimmer Gan Ching Hwee at ‘crossroads' after World Aquatics C'ships display
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The 22-year-old had an outstanding meet, clocking national records in the 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle. SINGAPORE – After clocking thousands of kilometres in the pool and posting the quickest times in Singapore in the women's 400m, 800m and 1,500m freestyle, national swimmer Gan Ching Hwee is considering her future in the sport. While the Dec 9-20 SEA Games in Bangkok and Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya are in her sights, she told The Straits Times that she is undecided about committing to another Olympic qualifying campaign for Los Angeles 2028. The 22-year-old said: 'I'm at a crossroads of how far I want to take my swimming. 'After swimming so many years, I really still enjoy the sport a lot, but I also want to progress in other parts of my life, like my studies.' The high flyer graduated from Indiana University in May with a nutrition science degree and a perfect grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 to share the Dean's Recognition Award for students with the highest GPA. After a full three-month block of training, she was Singapore's top performer and only finalist at the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) in home waters. She finished seventh in the 1,500m final as the second-fastest Asian behind China's Li Bingjie after setting a national record of 16min 1.29sec in the heats, with another national record through her 800m split of 8:29.93. She also placed 13th in the 400m (4:09.81) and 800m heats. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Ong Beng Seng to be sentenced on Aug 15, prosecution does not object to fine due to his poor health Singapore All recruits at BMTC will be trained to fly drones and counter them: Chan Chun Sing Singapore Pritam Singh had hoped WP would 'tip one or two more constituencies' at GE Singapore Eu Yan Sang warns of counterfeits of its health supplements being sold online Singapore Electric car-sharing firm BlueSG to wind down current operations on Aug 8 Singapore Woman, 26, hit by car after dashing across street near Orchard Road Singapore Car passenger dies after accident involving bus in Yishun Gan said: 'I've always wanted to further my studies in something which I'm undecided on right now, and that piece has not really aligned with my competition schedule. 'My coach (Singapore Swimming Club's Eugene Chia) and I are taking it one step and one meet at a time, constantly re-assessing as we go through the meets to see if my body and mind can handle the swimming and training.' National swimming coach and performance director Gary Tan is aware of her dilemma and has been in communication with Chia and Gan. He said: 'We will need to discuss with Ching Hwee about what's best for her at this point in her life and see how we can help to keep things interesting for her to keep swimming at the highest level. 'If there is the possibility of going for one more Olympic cycle, Singapore Aquatics will be there to support her.' Gan started swimming at the Chinese Swimming Club at four, and while she did not win any competitive races until she was 12, it was in the last decade that she really blossomed into a top distance swimmer. In 2018, she was 15 when she claimed her first senior national record in the 1,500m free (16:39.70) at the 2018 Asian Games. At the 2023 SEA Games, she bagged four golds in the 200m, 400m and 800m free and 4x200m free relay. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, she set national records in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle and missed a historic place in the longer-distance final by less than 1.5 seconds. But success has come with sacrifices, as she trains six days a week and has only Sundays off. Even then, she feels she cannot fully relax. Gan said: 'It is not just about training, but also every other aspect of life that contributes to performance, like sleep, nutrition and recovery, especially when we are competing at such a high level. It's being intentional with everything, and it gets tiring.' In university, she had to study and take exams on the road while competing at the Asian Games and SEA Games. With the world championships, 2025 SEA Games and 2026 Asian Games, the schedule presents another challenge if she furthers her studies in the United States, Europe or Australia. Regardless of her decision, Gan is grateful for her experiences, noting that these have made her a better swimmer and person. Studying, training and competing with a packed race schedule in the US helped foster the 'championship mindset of getting behind the blocks even though you're tired, race the person next to you, and get your hand on the wall first', she shared. Returning home to train 'with kids 10 years younger than me' at her club proved to be a plus owing to their energy. At the recent WCH, Gan said that watching 18-year-old Canadian Summer McIntosh and 23-year-old Frenchman Leon Marchand dominate and break championship and world records, as well as China's Li blazing a trail for Asia taught her 'not to put a limit to what I can achieve'. And after testing her limits at swimming's biggest stage, she will take a well-deserved holiday. She said: 'Other than extending for a couple of days after overseas meets, I don't think I've taken an intentional holiday in the last eight to 10 years, so it would be nice to take the time to enjoy and just chill.'
Straits Times
31 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Ferrari boss confident ‘frustrated' Lewis Hamilton will bounce back after Hungarian GP
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring in Budapest on Aug 3. BUDAPEST – Lewis Hamilton received support from his Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur on Aug 3, just hours after the Briton cut a dejected figure following a lacklustre drive to 12th place at the Hungarian Grand Prix. While teammate Charles Leclerc proved unable to convert Ferrari's first pole position of the season into victory due to unexplained mechanical problems during the race, seven-time champion Hamilton was battling to escape midfield and finished where he started. As on Aug 2, when he was dumped out of Q2 and appeared miserable, claiming he was 'completely useless' and saying the team should 'bring in another driver', Hamilton seemed utterly deflated. To most observers, it appeared as if the pressures of living up to the hype of his spectacular marquee move from Mercedes, where he won six titles, and adjusting to the culture, car and expectations at Ferrari were overwhelming him. At 40, talk of imminent retirement circled around him. But Vasseur was swift to defend Hamilton, who has always been prone to impulsive heart-on-sleeve reactions. 'I don't need to motivate him,' said Vasseur. 'Honestly, he's frustrated, but not demotivated. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Ong Beng Seng to be sentenced on Aug 15, prosecution does not object to fine due to his poor health Singapore Recap: Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty to abetting obstruction of justice in case linked to Iswaran Singapore All recruits at BMTC will be trained to fly drones and counter them: Chan Chun Sing Singapore Pritam Singh had hoped WP would 'tip one or two more constituencies' at GE Singapore Eu Yan Sang warns of counterfeits of its health supplements being sold online Singapore Electric car-sharing firm BlueSG to wind down current operations on Aug 8 Singapore Woman, 26, hit by car after dashing across street near Orchard Road Singapore Car passenger dies after accident involving bus in Yishun 'He's demanding, but I think it's also why he's (a) seven-time world champion. I can perfectly understand this situation. 'Sometimes, you are making comments on what the driver is saying (in) the car, but if you put the microphone on some other sportsmen, in football and so on, I'm not sure that it would be much better.' 'Sometimes, just after the race or just after qualifying, you are very disappointed and the first reaction is harsh. I can understand the frustration, but we are all frustrated,' he added. Vasseur added Hamilton's weekend appeared worse than it really was because of the tight and competitive times that led him to miss out on reaching Q3 on Aug 2. 'For sure, when you are a seven-time world champion, your teammate is on pole position and you are out in Q2, it's a tough situation,' he said. 'But overall, we can also have a deep look that he was in front of Charles in Q1 and with the first set that he was one-tenth off in Q2. We were not far away from having the two cars out in Q2. 'I can understand the frustration from Lewis. That's normal and he will come back. He was stuck in a DRS train, but when he was alone, the pace was good. I'm sure that he will be back and he will perform.' Fourth-placed Leclerc backed his teammate. 'At the end, we are one team and as much as I want to finish in front of Lewis, I want both of us to be successful and for Ferrari to be successful, and obviously this weekend has been a tough one for Lewis,' Leclerc said. 'But I have no doubt that it's a one-off and I'm sure the second part of the season will be a lot more positive.' Hamilton's former Mercedes boss Toto Wolff also spoke out strongly in Hamilton's defence, calling his comments just 'Lewis wearing his heart on his sleeve. 'It was very raw. It was out of himself and we had it in the past when he felt that he underperformed his own expectations,' added the Austrian. Hamilton, sixth in the drivers' standings, but without a podium for Ferrari in 2025, said he was looking forward to a much-needed 'break from work' during Formula One's August holiday before the Dutch Grand Prix on the final weekend of August. Meanwhile, F1 is a healthier place after the firing of Christian Horner as Red Bull team boss, McLaren chief executive Zak Brown said on Aug 3. Speaking to reporters after talks with Horner's successor Laurent Mekies at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the American welcomed the Frenchman's appointment and said his predecessor had crossed a line. 'I just left having a chat with Laurent, I'm happy he's in the role he's in,' he said. 'I like Laurent, and I think that'll be healthy, and maybe we can get back to focusing on competition on the track. 'There's always going to be some political aspects to the sport, I think it's going to be healthier with Laurent,' he added. 'I'm a fan of Laurent, I've known him for a long time and I think it'll be good to go racing against Laurent.' Brown and Horner were not friends, to put it mildly, and clashed frequently – with the former accusing Red Bull of cheating in 2022 when the team were found to be in breach of the 2021 cost cap. The pair raced in British Formula Three and renewed their rivalry as bosses, trading barbs in the media with Horner a 'pantomime villain' for audiences of the Netflix series 'Drive to Survive'. AFP, REUTERS
Straits Times
42 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Cameron Young captures long-awaited first PGA Tour win at Wyndham Championship
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Cameron Young kissing the Sam Snead Cup after the final round of the Wyndham Championship golf tournament on Aug 3. WASHINGTON – American Cameron Young seized his first PGA Tour title on Aug 3, firing a two-under 68 in the final round of the Wyndham Championship for a six-stroke victory over Mac Meissner. It was an emotional win for the 28-year-old, whose seven career runner-up finishes included the 2022 British Open at St Andrews. 'I've been waiting for it for a while,' he said. 'I never thought I'd really be that emotional about it, but it's the end of my fourth season and I've had my chances. Never quite like this – and I wasn't going to let it get away from me today.' He started the day with a five-stroke lead and after an opening bogey reeled off five straight birdies – a run that included a 26-foot bomb at the third hole. A pair of bogeys at 16 and 17 were immaterial and Young tapped in for a par at the 18th to cap a two-under 68 that gave him a 22-under total of 258. After tapping in the final putt, Young hugged his caddie and began to walk off the green. 'Where do I go?' he said. 'I've never done this before.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Ong Beng Seng to be sentenced on Aug 15, prosecution does not object to fine due to his poor health Singapore Recap: Ong Beng Seng pleads guilty to abetting obstruction of justice in case linked to Iswaran Singapore All recruits at BMTC will be trained to fly drones and counter them: Chan Chun Sing Singapore Pritam Singh had hoped WP would 'tip one or two more constituencies' at GE Singapore Eu Yan Sang warns of counterfeits of its health supplements being sold online Singapore Electric car-sharing firm BlueSG to wind down current operations on Aug 8 Singapore Woman, 26, hit by car after dashing across street near Orchard Road Singapore Car passenger dies after accident involving bus in Yishun The win at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, had a little extra resonance for Young, who played college golf at North Carolina's Wake Forest University. He was also hoping the win might catch the eye of US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley with the biennial match play showdown with Europe coming up in September. 'Obviously that team is a goal of many of us,' the world No. 44 said. Meissner posted 66 to finish as the runner-up at 16 under. Mark Hubbard (63) and Sweden's Alex Noren (64) tied for third place at 15 under. Amateur Jackson Koivun (67), a junior golfer at Auburn University, Chris Kirk (68), and defending champion Aaron Rai (68) of England shared fifth place at 14 under. The Aug 3 round marked the end of the PGA regular-season with the top 70 on the points list advancing to the playoffs which start next week at the St. Jude Championship. Of the players hoping to play their way in this week, Kirk's finish was enough to move him up from 73rd in the standings to 61st. Davis Thompson (68) ended at 12 under, missing the top-70 position by one spot. Gary Woodland was on the bubble, but his final-day 70 left him at 9 under for the tournament and sharing 23rd place. He was projected to finish 72nd. AFP, REUTERS
