28 Facts About Zharnel Hughes

Zharnel Hughes was born on 13 July 1995 and is an Anguilla-born British sprinter who specialises in the 100 metres and 200 metres.

Zharnel Hughes had significant success in his youth representing Anguilla, winning at the CARIFTA Games, Central American and Caribbean Junior Championships in Athletics and the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships.

Zharnel Hughes crossed the line first in the final of the 200 metres at the Games, but was disqualified for impeding an athlete in the neighbouring lane.

Zharnel Hughes achieved a second medal, a bronze, in the same event at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

Zharnel Hughes won the bronze medal in the same event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, along with Mitchell-Blake and Kilty, in addition to debutants Jeremiah Azu and Louie Hinchliffe.

Zharnel Hughes is the British record holder over 100 m and 200m as well, with 9.83 s and 19.73 s respectively.

Zharnel Hughes is equally the second fastest European in history over each of these distances, behind Marcell Jacobs and Pietro Mennea respectively.

Zharnel Hughes was born in The Valley, Anguilla, where his mother worked as a housekeeper and his father as a taxi driver.

Zharnel Hughes's family is Jamaican on his mother's side and several of his relatives did sprinting at a low level.

Zharnel Hughes recognised his talent for the sport at the age of ten, when he won several races at a local school sports day where he ran for Orealia Kelly Primary School.

Zharnel Hughes made his first international appearance for Anguilla at the 2010 CARIFTA Games at the age of fourteen, placing eighth in the 100 metres final.

Zharnel Hughes was selected to represent Anguilla at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Athletics and was a semi-finalist in the short sprints, as well as setting a national record of 20.90 seconds.

Zharnel Hughes was awarded a scholarship in 2012 to attend the IAAF's Regional High Performance Training Centre in Jamaica and began to study at Kingston College.

Zharnel Hughes made his first appearance in senior international competition at the 2013 Central American and Caribbean Championships in Athletics, reaching the final and recording a personal best of 10.23 seconds in the heats.

Former British sprinters Darren Campbell and Daniel Caines supported Zharnel Hughes, noting that Britain was the home nation for people from its colonies.

Zharnel Hughes improved further in the 200 metres World Championships final in Beijing, recording a time of 20.02 seconds to place fifth while his clubmate Usain Bolt defended his world title.

Zharnel Hughes missed the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio due to a tear in his right knee ligament, sustained in a fall earlier in the season.

Zharnel Hughes competed at the 2016 British Athletics Championships against doctor's warnings, but could only manage fourth.

Zharnel Hughes attempted to persevere at the 2016 European Athletics Championships, but dropped out of the heats and brought his season to a close.

Zharnel Hughes's injuries left him drained in the rounds at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics and he ended up seventh in his semi-final.

In 2021, Zharnel Hughes reached the 100 m final at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics, but was disqualified for a false start.

At the 2022 European Athletics Championships in Munich, Germany, Zharnel Hughes won gold in the 200m and 4x100m relay along with silver in the 100m.

Zharnel Hughes was given a medical exemption to miss to 2024 British Athletics Championships after injuring his hamstring at a meeting in Jamaica.

Zharnel Hughes was selected to compete in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Zharnel Hughes went out in the 100 metres semi-finals at the Games in Paris and withdrew from the 200 metres before the heats.

Zharnel Hughes won a bronze medal in the 4x100 metres relay.

In December 2024, it was announced that Zharnel Hughes had signed up for the inaugural season of the Michael Johnson founded Grand Slam Track.

Zharnel Hughes's 200 m time is a European sea-level record.