SACRAMENTO: Justin Gatlin stormed to victory in the 100m at the US world championship trials on Friday, upstaging rising star Christian Coleman and setting up the prospect of one final duel with Usain Bolt.
The 35-year-old Gatlin turned on the gas in the final 20 meters at Sacramento’s Hornet Stadium to reel in Coleman for a convincing win in 9.95sec.
Coleman, 21, had been tipped as the likeliest US rival to Bolt at August’s World Championships after clocking the fastest time in the world this year, a blistering 9.82sec.
But Coleman - who hours earlier had inked a seven-figure sponsorship deal with Nike - was put firmly in his place by the veteran Gatlin, finishing in 9.98sec. Christopher Belcher was third in 10.06sec.
In the women’s 100m, Tori Bowie swept to a comfortable win in 10.94 ahead of Deajah Stevens and Ariana Washington. Allyson Felix, the reigning world 400m champion, finished in last place.