Gatlin wins 100, Burrell seventh; Hardee takes gold
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Justin Gatlin showed the youngsters that age is just a number.
As in, get down the track quick and post a really good one.
A changing of the guard? Not on his watch.
The 35-year-old Gatlin surged past up-and-comer Christian Coleman to win the 100 meters Friday night at the U.S. track and field championships.
Gatlin finished in 9.95 seconds to edge Coleman by 0.03 seconds.
Houston’s Cameron Burrell, who qualified for the semifinals Thursday after running 10.11 to post the 11th-fastest time in the preliminary rounds, finished seventh with a time of 10.19.
Olympic silver medalist Tori Bowie won the women’s 100 meters easily in 10.94. Bowie was followed by Rio Olympian Deajah Stevens (11.08) and Ariana Washington (11.10). Texas alum Morolake Akinosun ran 11.12 for fourth place. Texas A&M senior Aaliyah Brown finished fifth in 11.15.
By placing among the top six in the final, Brown will be part of the U.S. 4x100 relay pool for the IAAF World Championships.
“To place fifth in this elite field was very, very special to me,” said Brown, who ran a career best of 11.01 during Friday’s prelim race. “That was a great moment for me. It feels good to come fifth and hopefully I’ll be in the relay pool for the 4x100.
Two Texas Longhorns punched their tickets to the IAAF World Championships, highlighted by Trey Hardee’s return from a 2016 injury to win the decathlon at the USATF Championships.
Hardee, a three-time world champion and Olympic silver medalist in the decathlon, made his return to the top of the podium at a USATF Championships by taking gold in the decathlon with a point total of 8,225 points.
He was able to hold off a field of up and comers, including Texas junior Steele Wasik who finished eighth.
The victory is the fourth for Hardee at the USATF Championships.