Zharnel Hughes, a 19-year-old sprinter dubbed “the next Usain Bolt”, has been cleared to represent Great Britain.
There had been fears Hughes might opt to represent Jamaica, where he moved to study and train alongside Bolt and Yohan Blake.
The Anguillan-born Hughes broke the Jamaican High Schools Championship 100m record in 2014 with a time of 10.12sec. Further comparisons with Bolt have been made because of the sprinter’s slender 6ft 3in frame.
Hughes has started the season in fine form, finishing three-hundredths of a second behind Bolt in the 200m at the most recent IAAF Diamond League meeting in New York. Bolt clocked 20.29.
Hughes said: “I have always known if I was to run at the Olympics it would be in a British vest and that is how I have always dreamt it would be.”
He is eligible to compete for GB because the British overseas territory of Anguilla is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
Great Britain have a strong array of sprinters in the European champions Adam Gemili and James Dasaolu and the world indoor champion Richard Kilty.
Cindy Ofili – the younger sister of the world bronze medallist Tiffany Porter – has also announced she will represent GB. The US-born athlete recorded the seventh fastest time in the world this year over 100m hurdles with a 12.60sec personal best clocked in Eugene – just 0.04sec slower than Porter, who is seven years her senior.
The 20-year-old, who has held British nationality since her birth said: “It has always been my intention to opt for GB, especially having seen my sister compete for Team GB in the London Olympics. I just hope to be good enough to now earn the right to be selected based on my performances.”
The former Swedish high jump champion Victoria Dronsfield, the 400m hurdler Shante Little and the 400m runner Montene Speight have also made the switch, with the trio all holding British nationality.
