Coleman eclipses Greene’s 20-year-old US indoor record
albuquerque — Christian Coleman made sure the world record was his this time.
After being denied ratification last month for the fastest ever 60 metres when he clocked 6.37 seconds in a race that did not use electronic starting blocks, the world outdoor silver medallist ran even faster on Sunday.
Turning on the afterburners following his trademark fast start, Coleman breezed home in 6.34 seconds at the US indoor track and field championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The time wiped out Maurice Greene’s 20-year-old record of 6.39 seconds, a mark almost matched by runner-up Ronnie Baker, who crossed the line in 6.40 seconds.
I just love racing in the big races, when everybody’s watching
Christian Coleman
“It feels like a blur,” the 21-yearold Coleman told reporters when asked to describe what it felt like to run that fast. My start was decent. When I transitioned, I stood up, and I felt as good as I’ve ever felt. I just kept running to the tape. For it to be the world record was pretty special.”
The fastest man in the world last year time-wise, he took silver in the 100m at last year’s world championships in London, finishing ahead of world record holder Usain Bolt.
Coleman will lead a talented American team to next month’s world indoor championships with the top-two finishers in each event in New Mexico securing berths for Birmingham, England.
“I just love racing in the big races, when everybody’s watching,” Coleman said. “I just flourish in those moments. It’s not really in my personality, but when the lights are on, it just comes out.”
Along with his world record, five other season-best performances were established in the rarefied air of Albuquerque, which aids sprinters but slows distance runners.
Chief among them was Sharika Nelvis’s US record 60m hurdles time of 7.70 seconds as she defeated world outdoor record holder Kendra Harrison by two-hundredths of a second. —