Justin Gatlin showed the youngsters that age is just a number.
A changing of the guard? Not on his watch.
The 35-year-old Gatlin on Friday surged past up-and-comer Christian Coleman to win the 100m final at the US Track and Field Championships. To celebrate, Gatlin sidestepped back down the track.
Photo: AFP
At 21 and coming off a National Collegiate Athletic Association title, Coleman was the sprinter all set to usher in a new era. It will have to wait.
Gatlin finished in 9.95 seconds to edge Coleman by 0.03 seconds. Both are from the University of Tennessee and are now Nike-sponsored runners, with Coleman just signing a three-year deal.
Christopher Belcher finished third.
Photo: AFP
“These guys are just starting their career off,” said Gatlin, who has been dealing with nagging quad and groin injuries.
“I have to make sure I stay hungry,” he said.
Awaiting the trio at the world championships in London in August is expected to be Usain Bolt.
“The sweet thing about it is there are two hungry guys who have no nervousness about [Bolt] and are hungry to make a name for themselves,” Gatlin said.
Gatlin proved that he still has plenty left in the tank, too.
“He never lost it. He’s a good competitor,” Coleman said. “It was a good race. Looking forward to many more.”
In the women’s final, Olympic silver medalist Tori Bowie got off to a blazing start and never looked back. She finished in 10.94 seconds to beat Deajah Stevens. Ariana Washington was third.
Meanwhile, Paralympian Patrick “Blake” Leeper, running on carbon-fiber prosthetics, ran 45.25 seconds in the semi-finals of the 400m to break the T43 world record held by Oscar Pistorius of South Africa.
T43 is the classification for athletes with two amputations below the knee, which did not include all of the entrants in the event.
Leeper was seventh in his heat and did not qualify for the final.
“Pretty cool to say I broke it. I’m in the world record books,” said Leeper, who was born without legs due to a congenital birth defect.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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