Anguilla’s two leading athletes, Zharnel Hughes and Shara Proctor, produced stellar performances which have seen them crowned as champions at the British Track and Field Championships which were held in Birmingham over the weekend. Their achievements have also guaranteed their places on the British team which competes in the World Championships in Beijing, China, from August 22-24.
Hughes , who became eligible to represent Great Britain a few weeks ago, continued the brilliant form that he had displayed in the Diamond League meet last month when he was a close second to Usain Bolt. He was impressive in the men’s 200 metres, at Birmingham, as he sped to victory in 20.42 seconds – into a headwind – some .19 seconds before his nearest challenger.
Proctor, the British outdoor record holder in the women’s long jump since 2012, produced a leap of 6.86 metres on her first jump. That was enough to secure her the top spot on the podium. Her progress this season has been remarkable, following the serious injury that she sustained during the Commonwealth Games last year which required surgery and intensive rehabilitative work during the off and indoor seasons. Since then, she has been enjoying a successful Diamond League campaign.
The two professional athletes journey to to the next leg of the Diamond League in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Thursday.
– Contributed
