Hughes and Hunt win British 100m titles

UK Championships in Athletics

Dates: 2 – 3 August at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham

Zharnel Hughes and Amy Hunt claimed the 100m titles at the UK Championships in Athletics as pole vaulter Molly Caudery also starred on day one in Birmingham.

Hughes, a bronze medalist from the world, passed Jeremiah Azu (9.97) and Louie Hinchliffe (10.01), clocking a wind-assisted 9.94 seconds, ensuring his place on the Great Britain team at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.

After being disqualified for a false start, rising star Daryll Neita, 23, also qualified by dominating the women’s final with a personal best of 11.02.

To be considered for a spot in the squad, which will be announced on August 27th, athletes must achieve a top-two finish in their events and have met the requirements for entry to the World Athletics.

On Saturday, discus thrower Lawrence Okoye and distance runner Hannah Nuttall both won and were chosen.

In the final event of the day, a relaxed and confident Hughes turned his head and gazed down his closest rivals.

After a 9.91 run in Eugene in July, the 30-year-old held off world indoor 60m champion Azu and the quick-finishing Hinchliffe, who entered the championships as the fastest Briton this year.

Hinchliffe, who won the title last year, helped Azu move from obscurity to Olympic qualification, but he has not met the sub-10 standard required for the Worlds.

After making a slight movement in her starting block, Neita, who had a strong season’s best 11.00 in a strong semi-final performance, was denied the chance to compete in a dramatic start to the women’s final.

Hunt, her former training partner, was a strong lead over Desiree Henry (11. 32) and Faith Akinbileje (11. 34).

Caudery won the pole vault with a 4.45m clearance for the first time before pushing herself to equal her year’s best performance by going over at 4.85m.

The 25-year-old won world indoor gold in a smashing 2024 season, breaking the British record with a 4.92m jump, but did not make it to the Olympic final.

It’s really exciting to jump back over the 80s once more and I’m hoping to attempt [the British record] soon because I’ve just been finding my flow again and figuring out a few things, Caudery said.

Nuttall’s victory in the women’s 5, 000m qualifies her for a spot on the team by qualifying for the championships in 15 minutes, 46 seconds.

However, Innes FitzGerald, 19, who set the qualifying standard by breaking the European Under-20 record in London last month, must wait to see if she is chosen after finishing third behind India Weir.

Elise Thorner won the women’s 3, 000-meter steeplechase with a championship record of 9:22.05, which also includes the UKA standard and will travel to Tokyo if she qualifies by world ranking.

A chaotic women’s 100-meter final saw the loss of Alicia Barrett by a time of 13.06 as she won.

After clearing 2.14 meters, Charlie Husbands and Divine Duruaku both agreed to share the men’s high jump title, while Alessandro Schenini won the men’s long jump with a 7.85meter first round.

With a personal best of 13.62m, Scott Lincoln, who has the UKA standard, won an 11th consecutive men’s shot put title, and Adelaide Omitowoju, who also holds the record for women’s triple jump gold.

Daniel Greaves won the para men’s discus title with 55.63m, while Michael Alisson, a two-time Paralympic champion, won the men’s javelin title with a personal best of 78.48m, and Daniel Pembroke, a two-time champion, with 63.62m.