UK Athletics' Zarnell Hughes wants to “settle everything” before the Olympics

Zarnel-Hughes dismissed any concerns about the direction of UK athletics just seven months before the Olympics.

The Briton, who won bronze in the 100m at last year's world championships, believes the governing body has no choice but to keep fighting.

The shock departure of manager Stephen Maguire in October – after collecting a record 10 World Championship medals – was followed by the announcement of a £3.7m loss in December.

But Hughes, who has been training at his base in Jamaica, remains focused on his work ahead of the Paris Games.

“They have to organize themselves because they have major tournaments coming up,” he said, with Paula Dunn taking charge temporarily during the Olympics.

“I hope that everything will be settled by the time of the tournament and that everything will go smoothly so that the athletes will be in the best place mentally to give our best performance.

“I hope they get their affairs in order. I see it, I read it, but I keep my head down and keep moving.”

“It (Maguire's departure) surprised me.” We had just gotten out of Budapest, and soon after it happened. “Well, what happened there?” I left it alone, and no one told me anything.

“I'm sure they realize it doesn't have much to do with me. It's not like I'm writing checks or anything like that.”

The 28-year-old is focusing on this year's outdoor season after opting to skip indoor competitions, including the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow in March.

Last year he won his first individual world medal, finishing third in the 100m in Budapest after breaking British records in the 100m and 200m.

He ran 9.83 seconds in New York in June – breaking Linford Christie's 30-year-old 100m record – before running 19.73 seconds in the 200m in London a few weeks later.

Hughes had written 9.83 seconds in his diary before the time had passed and had already written down his goals for the year.

“I wrote down my times and what I wanted to achieve. I said I wanted to break the British record again,” he said before defending his European 200m title in Rome in June.

“I want to win a medal at the European Championships and the Olympics and I want to get to the Diamond League final and see what I can do.

“The plans were written long before any New Year's resolutions. I wrote them in the first week of training.

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