Christian Coleman lands blow on Noah Lyles in Glasgow ahead of huge year in men’s sprinting
It is only the start of a potentially history-making year in men’s sprinting but, in the first major showdown between America’s two heavyweights, Christian Coleman landed a significant blow on Noah Lyles.
Yes, this was over Coleman’s favoured 60m distance and he was being chased down with every step, but it is a long time still since Lyles has tasted defeat on a global stage after taking the 100m and 200m world titles last summer.
He had also beaten Coleman in the US National Championships last month but his compatriot remains the fastest ever over the shortest sprint, delivering here when it mattered most with a world leading time of 6.41sec to regain a world title he last won six years ago.
That was before his 18-month ban for three missed drugs tests, and with the past pedigree also of winning the world 100m championship in 2019 and a 9.76sec personal best, underlines the challenge ahead of Lyles this summer at the Olympics in Paris.
“I just let my body take over – this will give me tremendous momentum,” said Coleman, who celebrated with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders before embracing the still super-confident Lyles.
“I think I am the greatest 60m runner, 100 per cent,” added Coleman.
“They should be scared of me,” declared Lyles, who said that he had been feasting on Nandos during his stay in Glasgow.
“Every time I think about it, I am like, ‘Wow, I’ve beaten these guys in the 60m, they’ve really got no chance in the outdoors’. I have increased the worst part of my race by drastic numbers.”
"Not this time, Noah Lyles!"
Christian Coleman is the 60m world champion 🥇#WorldIndoorChamps pic.twitter.com/anqmeuPWRK— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) March 1, 2024
The sprinters are being followed by a Netflix film crew and, while the showboating Lyles looks likely to be the main star of the series, finishing second in any race was still not part of the script.
As well as a golden hat-trick over 100m, 200m and 4x100m that were last won at the same Olympics by a certain Usain Bolt, Lyles thinks he can surpass even the Jamaican legend by joining the American 4x400m team. He is also targeting Bolt’s world 100m and 200m records.
The wider context is that Lyles is already running significantly faster over 60m than he had ever previously achieved, although Coleman very much has unfinished business at the Olympics after his anti-doping ban coincided with the Tokyo Games.
“Everything happens for a reason and I feel God has been with me all the way – I feel more excited about being in my prime and having the opportunity in front of me,” said Coleman.
Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes will also hope to be in the medal mix in Paris but he has opted to miss these world indoor championships, with Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake completing the podium in 6.46sec behind Lyles’s 6.44sec.
There were also some encouraging British qualification performances on Friday. Jemma Reekie cruised through the first round of the 800m while Georgia Bell and Revee Walcott-Nolan will both take their place in the women’s 1500m on Sunday night. Bell works full-time in cyber security and only resumed serious training following a 16min 30sec parkrun last year.
Laviai Nielsen has also qualified for the 400m final on Saturday while Adam Fogg was granted a place in Sunday’s 1500m final after it was judged that he had been tripped in his heat.