Zharnel Hughes goes down a storm during men’s 100m final at the British Championships

Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed and Manchester was almost drowned by the deluge, but Zharnel Hughes heard only the starting gun and he charged with electricity flowing through his feet.

The men’s 100metres final at the British Championships was held on a surface more resembling a duck pond than an athletics track but the 27-year-old set course and sailed to an astonishing victory in 10.03sec.

That was just two-tenths shy of the UK record which the Anguilla-born sprinter set in New York last month. He powered away from his domestic rival Reece Prescod, who clocked a mere 10.14sec, and the fact all eight competitors finished intact was remarkable as an entire stadium bolted for cover. 

If proof were needed that Hughes can pair speed with serenity, it emerged through the downpour. ‘Come rain, sun or shine you perform regardless,’ proclaimed Hughes, the 2018 European champion. ‘It is the slogan in Anguilla. I train in these conditions sometimes in Jamaica. But I am soaked, these conditions are the worst-ever.

‘It has been a long journey to get the title back I last won in 2015. I shall come back for the 200 tomorrow and hope the conditions are better. I really must thank each and every one of the crowd for watching in these terrible conditions. I will use this to get faster and become a global champion.’

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The 27-year-old came close to breaking the UK record – which he set in New York last month

CJ Ujah, reinstated following the doping ban that cost GB a 4x100m silver at the Tokyo Olympics, was fifth in 10.31sec, well short of the qualifying mark for next month’s world championships in Budapest.

Dina Asher-Smith, as the rain marginally eased, won the women’s 100m in 11.06sec, after Daryll Neita withdrew. They are expected to reunite over 200m today. Neita prevailed when holding off Asher-Smith in Stockholm last Sunday.

Laura Muir will bid to defend her women’s 1500m title after breezing through her heats. The 30-year-old confesses to running freer and easier since she was unshackled from her former coach Andy Young. He remains suspended from the sport, pending an investigation into an approach which others have deemed controlling.

Now directing her own career, the Olympic bronze medallist concedes the past four months have cross-examined her mental strength. ‘Very difficult,’ the Scot said. ‘I’ve been injured before, physically. And it’s been a lot harder this year. I’ll take a physical thing over this any day so. But it’s just something I had to do. And I’m a lot happier now. And I’m just really excited.’