World Championships 2023: Zharnel Hughes wins 100m bronze as Noah Lyles triumphs

By Harry PooleBBC Sport at National Athletics Centre, Budapest

Zharnel Hughes became the first British man to make the 100m podium at a World Championships for 20 years by claiming bronze as Noah Lyles triumphed.

The 28-year-old Briton clocked 9.88 seconds - the same time as Botswana's silver medallist Letsile Tebogo in a wide-open men's final.

American Lyles took gold in 9.83 in Budapest.

It is a first individual global medal for Hughes, who broke two long-standing British sprint records this season.

His medal followed on from Katarina Johnson-Thompson's heptathlon gold on Sunday and is Britain's third of the championships.

European 200m champion Hughes has displayed his global medal credentials throughout the best season of his career, smashing Linford Christie's 30-year 100m mark by running 9.83.

That was a time matched this year only by entertainer Lyles in claiming a popular victory on Sunday night.

Lyles had raised expectations by predicting he would run 9.65 in the 100m before breaking Usain Bolt's 200m world record by clocking 19.10.

While not quite reaching that ambitious target, Lyles - the reigning 200m champion - showed he will be tough to beat as he targets a sprint treble including 4x100m gold.

"I came here for three golds," he said. "I've ticked off one, others are coming. The 100m was the hardest one. I will have fun with the event I love now."

Jamaican 22-year-old Oblique Seville narrowly missed out on a medal as he also crossed the line in 9.88 while 2022 champion Fred Kerley suffered a shock semi-final exit.

Britain's Eugene Amo-Dadzie's fourth-place semi-final finish in 10.03 secs was not enough to see him qualify, while Reece Prescod (10.26) also failed to make the final.

Hughes, having also run 19.73 to break John Regis' 200m record in July, will join Lyles in beginning his bid for a 200m medal in Wednesday's heats.

Great Britain are fourth in the medal table with one gold, one silver and one bronze after two days of competition
Katarina Johnson-Thompson secured Great Britain's first gold medal of the World Athletics Championships

Hughes achieves breakthrough medal

In the form of his life, Hughes travelled to Hungary prepared to set the record straight and execute on a major stage.

The Briton failed to make last year's final in Eugene, 12 months on from false-starting in the Olympic final in Tokyo.

But he has gone from strength to strength in 2023 as he continues to train in Jamaica under the guidance of Glen Mills, the coach who helped sprinting legend Bolt achieve eight Olympic golds.

Comparisons have been drawn with Bolt given the height of the two athletes that makes both relatively slow starters before they are able to get upright and into their stride.

Hughes recovered well in his semi-final to progress in second place behind American Christian Coleman - but there were fears a similar slow start could cost the Briton in the final.

However, crucially, he was able to improve when it mattered most - momentarily believing he had even got the better of Lyles, such was the tight nature of the race.

It is a breakthrough achievement nonetheless for Hughes, whose attention will soon turn to matching Regis by claiming a 200m medal.

Muir among 1500m finalists as Asher-Smith progresses

Five British men and women progressed to their respective 1500m finals, including British team captain Laura Muir.

In the women's event, Muir was fourth in a season's best time of three minutes 56.36 seconds and Katie Snowden fifth in a personal best 3:56.72 in their heat, won by reigning champion Faith Kipyegon (3:55.14).

Melissa Courtney-Bryant was fifth in her heat in 4:02.79.

In the men's 1500m, Josh Kerr (3:35.14) crossed the line behind 2022 silver medallist Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:34.98) but Elliot Giles (3:39.05) was unable to progress.

Neil Gourley scraped through in the sixth and final spot in his heat (3:32.97).

In Sunday's morning session, Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita safely qualified from their 100m heats.

Asher-Smith, the 2019 200m champion and six-time world medallist, clocked 11.04 behind American Brittany Brown (11.01) to reach Monday's semi-finals.

Neita ran 11.03 to follow expected medal contender Julian Alfred (10.99) over the line but team-mate Imani-Lara Lansiquot, who ran under protest after a false start, later had her disqualification confirmed.

Five-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, Sha'Carri Richardson and Marie-Josee Ta Lou each progressed with victory in their heats in a wide-open event.

Matthew Hudson-Smith was second to 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk in a season-best time of 44.69, with South Africa's two-time champion qualifying second fastest overall (44.57) for the semi-finals.

In the women's event, Victoria Ohuruogu and Ama Pipi both progressed with second-place finishes in their heats, clocking 50.60 and 50.81 respectively.

Tade Ojora won his men's 110m hurdles heat in 13.32, qualifying fifth-fastest for the semi-finals.

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