Coleman returns with a bang, wins Diamond League 100m race in Rabat

American Christian Coleman signalled a return to form and fitness on Friday by edging out compatriots Ronnie Baker and Noah Lyles to win a thrilling Diamond League 100-metre race in Rabat on Friday.

Coleman, who was runner-up to Justin Gatlin at last year’s world championships, was quick out of the blocks but only just clung on to beat Baker in a season’s best time of 9.98 seconds.

The 22-year-old set a 60m world record of 6.34sec earlier this year, but has struggled with injuries since.

He will now turn his attentions to this weekend’s inaugural athletics World Cup in London.

“It was a perfect night for me — good race and good time, I couldn’t be happier,” he said.

“I am not so surprised to win on my first race (back), even with such a great field because I was very fast in practice these last days. When I was injured, I managed to keep a good condition.”

Baker and Lyles share the world-leading time of 9.88 for 2018.

The former finished in the same time as Coleman but was beaten on the dip, while Lyles was just one hundredth of a second slower.

Michael Rodgers underlined the Americans’ dominance by coming fourth, as Britain’s Reece Prescod was lucky to avoid disqualification for a false start and was fifth.

Source: AFP

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