Christian Coleman displayed the kind of speed that helped him clock the fastest time of the year when he led 100m qualifying at the US national championships on Thursday as 35-year-old Justin Gatlin kept pace with the youngsters.
Coleman, who has clocked a season-best 9.82 seconds, slowed down noticeably in his heat but still ran 9.93 on a blazing afternoon where track temperatures topped 43 degrees Celsius at a meet that doubles up as world championships trials.
"Yeah, I have complete confidence in myself that I can beat anybody I get on the line with, whether it's him (Usain Bolt) or anybody else," Coleman said of his chances against the world record holder in the Jamaican's final 100m at the London championships in August.
Olympic silver medallist Gatlin was not far behind the 21-year-old Coleman time-wise, winning his heat in 10.00 as he fights back to full fitness following a string of injuries.
Isiah Young won a third heat in 9.97 and Mike Rodgers was second to Gatlin, also in 10.00, but US record holder Tyson Gay failed to advance, as the 34-year-old finished 15th overall in 10.17 after stumbling at the start.
The semi-finals and finals of both the men's and women's 100m are set for Friday.
Double Olympic medallist Tori Bowie continued her fine form in the women's sprint, leading qualifying in 10.90.
World 400m champion Allyson Felix also advanced with the seventh fastest time of 11.03. Felix is running the 100m and 200m in Sacramento as speed work for the 400m in London, where she already has a wildcard as reigning champion.
The top three finishers in each event plus wild cards will earn selection to the US world championships team, provided they have met the qualifying standard.
Former national 800m champion Alysia Montano, wearing a Wonder Woman T-shirt, ran the championships for the second time in four years while pregnant.
Five months pregnant this time, she finished last in the preliminaries in 2:21.40. Montano was eight months pregnant when she ran at the championships in 2014.
Share
