By Gene Cherry
DESMOINES, Iowa (Reuters) – Christian Coleman showed again he is the man to beat in the 100 metres as he cruised to victory at the U.S. nationals and world championship trials with another sub-10 second run on Friday.
World silver medallist Coleman, who holds the year’s fastest time of 9.81 seconds, won the final in 9.99 seconds after clocking 9.96 in the semi-finals.
Mike Rodgers and Christopher Belcher joined Coleman on the U.S. team for the Doha world championships. Both were timed at 10.12 seconds but Rodgers was runner-up by six thousandths of a second.
Justin Gatlin, who has automatic entry to the world championships as the reigning 100m champion, did not run the final after finishing third in his semi-final in 10.16 seconds.
Teahna Daniels, who turned professional this week, won the women’s 100 in 11.20 seconds with a strong last half. She had finished fourth in the U.S. collegiate championships.
Olympian English Gardner clocked 11.25 for second and Morolake Akinosun took third in 11.28.
Allyson Felix, a six-times Olympic gold medallist, continued her bid to race at the worlds, the new mum making the final of the women’s 400 metres with a run of 51.45 seconds that earned fourth place in her semi-final.
She is racing for the first time in 13 months after giving birth to a daughter in November.
Shakima Wimbley had the day’s fastest time of 50.20.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Des Moines, Iowa; Editing by Ian Ransom)
