Zharnel Hughes hoping to break British record in Beijing
Last Updated: 24/08/15 4:19pm
Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes says he is aiming to break the British 200m record at the World Championships in Beijing.
The 20 year-old sprinter is tipped to medal at the Championships after unofficially clocking sub-20 second timings during training.
Hughes, who competes in the men's heats on Thursday, has drawn comparisons to his training partner; nine-time World Champion Usain Bolt.
"We train the same way, both of us train hard. We have the tenacity to achieve great things," said Hughes.
"To be compared to Bolt is a major achievement. I definitely want to get a medal and I definitely want to drop my personal best. I want to get that 19 second run, if I can get the [British] record I'll go for that as well."
Hughes, who won the 200m at the British Championships earlier this summer, trains alongside Bolt under the tutelage of Jamaican coach Glen Mills.
The youngster was only recently cleared to represent Great Britain as his home country, the tiny British overseas territory of Anguilla, is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
British Athletics' selection of foreign born athletes has caused controversy in the past. However, Hughes insists he's not concerned with have the label of a 'plastic Brit'.
"It doesn't make me feel any way," he said.
"I just know that I'm a newcomer to the team and I'll probably get a nickname like that but nevertheless, it doesn't bother me at all."
British Athletics performance director, Neil Black, has defended Hughes' selection.
"The fundamental is he can shift," said Black.
"We've seen a few things, where people have been holding stopwatches, and have just gone 'wow'."
