British sprinter Zharnel Hughes shot at in attempted robbery at training in Jamaica

British sprinter Zharnel Hughes escaped unharmed after being shot at during an attempted robbery as he trained at a track in Jamaica.

The rising sprint star was held up at gunpoint by an armed robber as he prepared for a practice session at a track in Kingston.

Hughes, 22, who occasionally trains with Usain Bolt, told the Jamaica Gleaner newspaper that he was at his car when the armed robber approached him.

He said: “I was putting on my sneakers at my trunk and this guy just came up pointing a gun in my face. He asked me for my phone and I ran off and the guy opened fire.”

An official at the Usain Bolt Track at the University of the West Indies, a licensed gun owner, apparently returned fire. No-one was injured.

Hughes, who represented Britain at the 2017 London World Championships, later posted on Twitter saying: “Lost for words, but thankfully I’m okay. Today would be a day I definitely won’t forget. #ThankYouGod”

He is said to have reported the robbery attempt to police.

Born in Anguilla, Hughes has competed internationally for Britain since 2015. At the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, the sprinter finished fifth in the 200m.

The athlete is one of Team GB’s most promising sprinters but missed out on the Rio Olympics because of a knee injury.

He has trained in the past alongside Bolt and Yohan Blake and is preparing for his 2018 season.

British Athletics said officials were trying to establish exactly what had happened but did not issue a statement.