SHANGHAI – American sprinter Christian Coleman believes that Usain Bolt’s 100-metre world record of 9.58 seconds that has stood for 15 years is within reach, and said there are several athletes fast enough to break it.
“It seems like the times being run... 9.58 is obviously an extraordinary time. But honestly I feel like it’s a lot of guys who are competing today who are not that far off, if the track gods see fit for it to happen,” he told reporters on April 26 ahead of the Shanghai Diamond League meet on April 27.
“But it has to be perfect conditions, on the right day, the right competition and the right venue... if you’re focusing on running properly, like executing a good race, I feel like those type of magical moments happen.
“I feel like it’s in my wheelhouse, but I don’t try to put too much emphasis or thought on it. I try to just focus on the next practice, the next rep, the next meet and just trying to improve and get better and better and the times will come.”
Jamaica’s Bolt set his 100m record in Berlin in 2009. American Tyson Gay is the second quickest after Bolt with 9.69sec in Shanghai the same year.
Christian Miller, a 17-year-old from the United States, ran 9.93sec – the fastest time in the world in 2024 – at a high school meet in Florida last weekend.
Coleman, a five-time world champion who has a personal best of 9.76sec set in 2019, defeated American rival Fred Kerley – silver medallist in the 100m at the Tokyo Olympics – at the Xiamen Diamond League last weekend.
The duo will battle it out again in Shanghai.
“I’m the fittest I’ve ever been,” said Kerley, who clocked his quickest 100m of 9.76sec in 2022.
“I’m learning how to run the 100 still. Me and my coaches are working on the phases of the races, instead of just running the race like I always have.”
Coleman will fancy his chances against Kerley after already winning once, while he also raced to gold in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships earlier this season in Glasgow.
It was a different race altogether in Scotland, but if he has the momentum and the aforementioned “perfect conditions”, anything can happen. REUTERS
