The hurdler and sprinter hope to compete for Great Britain & Northern Ireland in the future

Cindy Ofili and Zharnel Hughes are among six athletes to have had their GB allegiance confirmed by British Athletics.

Sprint hurdler Ofili, who is the younger sister of British 100m hurdles record-holder Tiffany Porter, has recorded the seventh fastest time in the world so far this year with her 12.60 PB clocked in Eugene just over a week ago. That time would put her second on the UK rankings this summer behind Porter and only two Britons have ever run quicker – Porter and Jessica Ennis-Hill.

The US-born 20-year-old, who has held British nationality since 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.”

Anguilla-born sprinter Hughes, who has been described as “the next Usain Bolt”, is also eligible to compete for GB as the British overseas territory is not recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

The 19-year-old is a training partner of Bolt and recently finished just behind the Jamaican sprint star in the New York Diamond League 200m, clocking 20.32. His PB for the half-lap event is 20.15, run in May, while he ran 10.12 for 100m last year.

“I have always known that 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,” said Hughes.

His 200m time would put him top of the UK rankings this season.

British Athletics has also announced that 1.87m high jumper Victoria Dronsfield, 400m hurdler Shante Little, 400m runner Montene Speight and steeplechaser Jack Jibb have also confirmed their intentions to compete for GB.

Jibb, who last weekend won the US high school 2000m steeplechase title, has a 3000m steeplechase PB of 8:57.34 which puts him top of the UK junior rankings for 2015. He has been named in Britain’s team for the European Junior Championships next month.

The post Cindy Ofili and Zharnel Hughes have GB allegiance confirmed appeared first on Athletics Weekly.