Coleman wins 100m gold at worlds

American sprinter Christian Coleman has won the world championship gold medal in the men's 100 meters, edging out his US teammate Justin Gatlin, who finished second.

Coleman, silver medalist to Gatlin two years ago in London, turned the tables on his compatriot in Doha on Saturday, surging to the top of the podium in a season's best time of 9.76 seconds.

"At the end, all my worries just evaporated out there," said Coleman, 23. "It was a crazy feeling. To add my name to the list of the legendary guys who've come before me is an honor and a blessing."

Fastest run since 2009

Canadian Andre De Grasse, a triple medal winner at the Rio Olympics, returned to form after a string of injuries and took bronze in 9.90, a personal best.

Coleman had looked in danger of missing the world championships when the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) filed — and later withdrew — a charge that would have resulted in a one or two-year sanction, after he missed three drug tests.

It was the first world 100 final since 2005 without legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, whose world record of 9.58, set in 2009, was 0.18 faster than Coleman's time on Saturday.

Coleman's win makes it 10 golds in the event from 17 finals for the United States, a record.

mds/mp (Reuters, AP)