Coleman eyes chance to shine in post-Bolt era
london — World indoor 60m champion Christian Coleman has a chance to establish his credentials as the leader of the sprint pack in the post-Usain Bolt era on the opening day of the London Diamond League meeting on Saturday.
The 22-year-old US sprinter ended Bolt’s four-year unbeaten 100m streak in the world championship semifinals at the London Stadium in August last year, before finishing in between compatriot Justin Gatlin and the retiring Bolt as the silver medal winner in the final two hours later.
After shattering Maurice Greene’s 19-year-old world indoor 60m record in February and claiming the world indoor 60m crown in March, Coleman looked set to become the dominant force in the 100m in 2018.
But he finished second to Ronnie Baker in Eugene and fourth behind his victorious fellow-American in Rome in an injury-hit start to the outdoor season in May.
Having taken time out to cure a hamstring problem, Coleman returned to Diamond League action with a wafer-thin 100m win over Baker in Rabat, both men being credited with 9.98sec after finishing a mere 0.006 sec apart.
“I kind of look at this as my season reopening,” said Coleman, who will be seeking to improve that modest season’s best in London when he once again locks horns with Baker.
The 24-year-old Baker took world indoor 60m bronze behind the victorious Coleman on English soil in Birmingham in March and clocked a lifetime 100m best of 9.88sec in Paris last month.
Baker jointly heads the 2018 world rankings with Noah Lyles, who clocked 9.88sec to take the US title ahead of him in Des Moines last month.
But Coleman remains the fastest man at 100m since the 2016 Rio Olympics, courtesy of the 9.82sec he recorded when winning the US collegiate title last year.
The 100m field in London also includes the current US collegiate champion Cameron Burrell, son of former 100m world record holder Leroy Burrell, plus 2011 world champion Yohan Blake from Jamaica, South Africa’s Commonwealth title holder Akani Simbine and British champion Reece Prescod.
Coleman will not be the only big name athlete with a point to prove in the English capital.
After her two-year unbeaten streak came to an end in Rabat following 45 consecutive wins, Russia’s Mariya Lasitskene will be determined to get back into her dominant stride in the women’s high jump on Sunday.
Lasitskene, who struck world outdoor gold at the London Stadium last year, faces world indoor champion Vashti Cunningham of the USA. —