Like it or not, Christian Coleman walked out into the humid air of Doha last night as the Fastest Man on Earth.
In the first world championships since the retirement of Usain Bolt, his successor as the overlord of the men’s 100 metres needed a mere 9.76 seconds to ascend to the throne. It was all done and dusted in the blink of an eye. The 23-year-old from Atlanta was an unstoppable force with the challengers vaporised in his wake. It was the sixth-quickest time in history.
Moments before, the lights inside the Khalifa Stadium had been switched off and the music turned up to loud. Coleman’s speed brought illumination and electricity. The gap to second spoke volumes.
Some have argued that missed drugs tests that nearly barred the American from competing here will taint this victory. Too late, now. A loophole allowed him to line up and the opportunity was taken.
“It’s been an incredible day,” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this day since 2017 when I got a silver medal. I knew I wanted to come out here and upgrade that. There’s only one spot you can go from silver and I was able to get a gold. And I’m a world champion and it’s an incredible feeling.”
In second place, the dethroned champion Justin Gatlin clocked 9.89 secs. His multitude of past doping transgressions has made him a villain for many. At 37, his era may be done.
Bronze, as at the 2016 Olympics, went to Canada’s Andre De Grasse. British contender Zharnel Hughes could muster only sixth.
“I’m not injured or anything but it was just a bad race,” he confirmed. “I was fine after the semi-finals, I was charged up for the race but as the gun banged, I started feeling light headed for some reason and I tried my best to get composure and every time I tried to do something, which was relaxing, it just kept getting worse.”
Zoey Clark wants the opportunity to earn the first gold in the mixed 4x400 relay after helping GB&NI to reach tonight’s final.
The Aberdonian, 24, now holds a stake in the European record of 3:21.80 as the Britons progressed despite fourth place in their semi along with Emily Diamond, Martyn Rooney and Rabah Yousif.
“For all of us, that was a first shot at the mixed relay,” Clark said. “It was a steep learning curve. But I thought we sat up the race really well. We were definitely in the tougher heat but we got through fine.”
Steph Twell will ask UK Athletics chiefs to afford her leeway to make up her mind on her Tokyo 2020 plans after coming 15th in the 10,000 metres final.
The Scot, 30, was lapped by eventual winner Sifan Hassan who pulled away to land gold in 30:17.61. The Dutchwoman will be a worthy rival for Laura Muir should she opt to double up in the 1,500m this week.
Yet Twell, who ran 31:44.79, delivered the second fastest time of her career at the distance and will now target the Frankfurt Marathon with two viable options for next season.
“I didn’t have the sharp legs I used to in the 1,500m,” she acknowledged. “But I’ve got a marathon in four weeks so I wasn’t fully focused on this.”
Dina Asher-Smith looks primed to become the first British woman in 36 years to earn an individual sprint medal on the global stage. To acquire the treasure of gold in the 100 metres this evening, the 23-year-old may need to find a superior gear. She looked comfortable in qualifying third-quickest from last night’s heat, claiming victory in 10.96 secs.
Ominously Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, twice an Olympic champion and thrice ruling the world, ran 10.80 – quicker than Asher-Smith’s UK record, with Cote d’Ivoire’s Marie-Josee Ta-Lou matching the Briton’s best of 10.85. It will be a battle royale.
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