CHARIOTS OF HIGHER

A century after GB's fabled heroes, Zharnel now has the chance to write his own script... and says: I know the history... I'll be cranking up the speed

- ALAN SMITH

A CENTURY on from Harold Abrahams and the Chariots of Fire, Britain's men's 100m hopes rest on Zharnel Hughes.

And the national record-holder insists he is confident of upsetting the US and Jamaican favourites despite just one mediocre race since tearing a hamstring.

Abrahams became the first of three Brits to win the Olympics' most iconic title on its most recent visit to Paris in 1924.

But it is the last man to achieve the feat, in 1992, who Hughes is using as inspiration.

An image of Linford Christie celebrating in Barcelona has been Hughes's phone screensaver for the past nine months and he has been regularly seeking advice from his childhood idol.

"Oh I'm aware of the history," said Hughes, still annoyed that critics have described him as a Plastic Brit because he grew up in Anguilla.