The US’ Christian Coleman on Saturday stunned world champion Noah Lyles to win the men’s 100m at the Diamond League Final in Eugene, Oregon, as Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson took the women’s sprint title.
Coleman missed out on the podium at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, but broke the tape in a blistering 9.83 seconds as fellow American Lyles finished second in 9.85 seconds. Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala took third.
Coleman, the 2018 Diamond League champion, exploded off the blocks and Lyles was unable to overcome a slower start.
Photo: Kirby Lee-USA Today
“I was able to just find a sense of confidence and believe in myself, like I knew I was supposed to win this race,” Coleman said. “This year I feel like I had a mental breakthrough to where I’m able to just find my stride and stick to it, and I feel like next year I’ll be able to capitalize.”
Lyles, the first male athlete since Jamaican Usain Bolt to win gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay at the World Championships, was all smiles after a transformative year.
“Of course, I want the win, but more [important] is that the crowd got to come out here and I got to be in front of them,” Lyles said. “I was able to do a victory lap, even though I didn’t win the victory.”
Jackson finished second at the World Championships behind the US’ Sha’Carri Richardson, but took the lead in the last half of the women’s 100m before breaking the tape in 10.70 seconds.
Ivorian Marie-Josee Ta Lou finished five hundredths of a second slower and Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah, the back-to-back Olympic champion, took third in 10.79 seconds.
“I just wanted to come out here and execute, and I think I did pretty good this evening,” Jackson said. “I just started sprinting in 2021, and to be among these great female sprinters is a good feeling. It always help to push you.”
The US’ Rai Benjamin got the track program off to a roaring start as he stunned world record-holder Karsten Warholm in the 400m hurdles.
World champion Warholm was strong favorite after claiming three Diamond League wins this year, but Benjamin finished strongly to clock 46.39 seconds, the year’s best time and fourth-fastest ever.
Norway’s Olympic champion Warholm was second in 46.53 seconds and Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands took third in 47.31 seconds.
Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon, who this year became the first woman to complete a 1,500m and 5,000m double at the World Championships, sparkled again as she won the 1,500m in a blistering 3 minutes, 50.72 seconds.
“This was amazing, starting with the world record and now winning the trophy. It has been a fantastic year for me,” Kipyegon said.
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