- Christian Coleman powered his way to victory on Friday night in Glasgow
- He beat Noah Lyles in the men’s indoor 60m final to win gold in the event.
- It was his first major title since he was suspended for missing three anti-doping tests.
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The villain conquered the hero on Friday night when Christian Coleman held off American rival Noah Lyles to win world indoor gold in Glasgow.
Coleman clocked 6.41 seconds in the 60m final to claim his first major title since returning from an 18-month suspension for missing three drug tests.
That meant Lyles, the crowd favorite and world 100m and 200m champion, had to settle for silver in 6.44 seconds, in what was a warning of the threat his compatriot will pose to him at the Olympics. Paris.
This was not the result that Scottish fans or the sport wanted. However, it whets the appetite for what’s to come this summer, as their rivalry has echoes of the good versus evil battle between Usain Bolt and drug hustler Justin Gatlin that dominated the previous decade.
In fact, Lyles beat Coleman, the 60-meter world record holder and 2018 indoor champion, at the U.S. trials last month. However, he never seemed to repeat that trick at the Emirates Arena on Friday night.
Christian Coleman (right) defeated Noah Lyles (center) to claim gold in the men’s 60 meters final at the World Indoor Athletics Championships on Friday.
For Coleman, it was the first major title he has won since returning after serving an 18-month suspension for missing three drug tests.
Coleman (right) said he was “happy to get the win” and set his sights on the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Coleman was the fastest qualifier in the heats and semi-finals, and led the final from start to finish, making up for his fifth-place finish behind Lyles in the world 100m finals in Budapest last summer.
“I think I’m the best 60m runner of all time, but the exciting thing is that my ceiling is much higher,” said the 27-year-old, whose anti-doping suspension ruled him out of Tokyo 2020.
‘It’s 2024 and I’m entering my best mental, physical and spiritual moment. “I’m going to have to be at my best level and I’m sure I’ll be there when the Olympic Games come.”
Lyles, who finished strongly to take silver ahead of Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake, said: “That’s the second-fastest time I’ve ever done.” ‘I have increased the worst part of my career by drastic figures. They should be afraid of me.’
Earlier in the afternoon, Georgia Bell qualified second for Sunday’s 1,500m final in 4:04.39 on her senior debut in Great Britain.
Georgia Bell qualified second for Sunday’s 1,500m final on her senior debut for Great Britain.
The 30-year-old (right) has a full-time job in cyber security, but admitted she might leave it to focus on qualifying for the Olympics.
Morgan Lake missed out on a major medal by finishing sixth in the women’s high jump.
The 30-year-old has a full-time job in cybersecurity and said earlier this week she might quit to focus on qualifying for the Olympics, causing some panic in her London office.
“I got a lot of emails from work saying, ‘What’s going on?’ Anything you want to tell us?” Bell admitted.
Meanwhile, Morgan Lake again missed out on a major medal by finishing sixth in a women’s high jump won by Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers.