AT the World Athletics Championships in Doha all eyes will be on American sprinter Christian Coleman.
The runner, who will lead the charge in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay for team USA, is expected to one day shatter Usain Bolt’s long-standing 100m record of 9.58 seconds.
All eyes will be on Christian Coleman in Doha at the World Athletics ChampionshipsCredit: AFP
But he nearly never made it to the Middle East after he was accused of being a drug cheat by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
They believed Coleman, 23, fell foul of their anti-doping whereabouts rules, and his place at the World Athletics Championships and next year’s Olympics appeared in jeopardy.
However, Coleman – who is faster than Jamaican legend Bolt was at the same age -pleaded his innocence.
The US Anti Doping agency dropped the case amid confusion about various dates.
And Coleman will now have the opportunity to show the world what he’s capable of.
His momentous breakout came in 2017 when he ran the fastest 100 metres in the world (9.82) and won four NCAA sprint championships.
Then, in 2018 he carried on his impressive rise by breaking a 20-year record for the 60m at the U.S. Track and Field Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico – recording a time of 6.37 seconds.
“I have a lot of confidence in myself that I can be one of the best,” he once told ESPN. And his confidence is hardly misplaced.
FEAR THE VACUUM CLEANER
Born in 1996 to parents Seth and Dr Daphne Coleman in Atlanta, Georgia, the 5ft 9in star showed early signs that he was quick with his feet at the age of just two.
But it was a fear of the family Hoover that meant Coleman was quick out the blocks at home.
“Christian was afraid of the vacuum cleaner,” Daphne said.
“Every time we turned the vacuum cleaner on, he would turn and run and jump real fast on the sofa.
“The first time he did it, my husband almost lost his mind. He was like, ‘Oh my, God, did you see that?’
“He said he could pivot and run at the same time, and he’s two. He’s like, ‘People can’t do that!'”
Growing up Coleman’s parents saw he was quick when he ran away from the vacuum cleanerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
At the U.S. Track and Field Indoor Championships Coleman ran the 60m in just 6.37 secondsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
FOOTBALL DREAMS
A natural athlete, Coleman threw himself into sport from the age of five.
He played American football, took gymnastics classes where he mastered the beam and was a keen soccer player.
Known as the “fast kid” by his teammates, the general consensus was to give Coleman the ball and let him run with it.
His dream was to play football at Division I level, but his size counted against him.
Colleges weren’t interested in taking him Coleman on a scholarship, despite the extra training he took to perfect his technique as a wide receiver.
TENNESSEE
After winning the 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4×100 metre relay, as well as setting state high school records in the 100m (10.38), 200m (21.10), and the 4×100m relay (41.88) at the Georgia High School State Championships, Coleman went on to attend the University of Tennessee.
Mum Daphne believes it’s that rejection that still drives him today.
“The doors opened for him, and he realised [football] wasn’t the path God had for him,” she said.
With the support of his family Coleman has achieved his sporting dreamCredit: Getty Images – Getty
“To see him excelling after being hurt, feeling like the schools didn’t want him, I’m just so happy for him.
“I feel that is a piece that still drives him because I think he still has that little chip on his shoulder that, ‘Those colleges didn’t want me.'”
And going to Tennessee was the making of Coleman, who ended up excelling in events there and making the 2016 Olympic team.
WORLD RECORDS
His fastest times to date in the 100m and 200m are 9.79 and 19.85 seconds respectively.
But in the 40m and 60m dashes, Coleman’s unmatchable.
He first received notoriety in 2017 – thanks to the NFL Draft and Cincinnati Bengals star John Ross.
The wide receiver set a combine record of just 4.22 seconds in the 40-yard dash and claimed he was faster than Bolt.
But Tennessee’s track program had other ideas. They filmed Coleman record a time of just 4.12 seconds on turf, and the video went viral.
Coleman is faster than Usain Bolt was at the same ageCredit: Getty Images – Getty
In 2017 Coleman took on the NFL by shattering their 40m dash sprint recordCredit: Getty – Contributor
“When they were making the video, we figured it would get a lot of views because it was a pretty fast 40,” Coleman told NBC Sports.
“I don’t know how I really feel about it. I got a lot of publicity for it. It was just a cool little deal.”
MORAL SUPPORT
Alongside his parents, Coleman’s biggest supporter will be his girlfriend Micaiah Ransby.
A University of Georgia track athlete, she too harbours dreams of Olympic glory.
The pair regularly share gushing posts on social media about each other.
Most recently, she took Coleman out for dinner and captioned a sweet snap of the two locked in arms saying: “Had to treat my baby and celebrate cause he’s a National Champion & headed to Doha for Worlds in the 100 AND the 200. Never ceases to amaze me “
Coleman dates fellow athlete Micaiah RansbyCredit: Instagram @_coleman2
Micaiah Ransby is a stunning University of Georgia student in her final yearCredit: Instagram @micaiahransby
DOHA COULD’VE BEEN A PIPE DREAM
Last month, Coleman was temporarily banned by the United States Anti-Doping Agency after missing three drug tests in a 12-month period in compliance with the anti-doping whereabouts rules.
He faced missing the 2019 World Athletics Championships and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
However, he successfully appealed, claiming a first missed test should be backdated to the first day of that testing quarter (April 1, 2018 in Coleman’s case).
Because Coleman’s third whereabouts failure came on April 26, 2019, it meant he only missed two tests in 12 months and was given a reprieve.
“I don’t take drugs, I don’t even take anything legal,” Coleman told CNN.
“A lot of athletes take legal creatine or protein powders or just different pills and supplements to be able to recover faster.
“And I don’t take anything, I work hard and that’s just what it is, I don’t take anything.
“I don’t even know what that even entails or what that involves to be able to go outside of the rule book to be able to try to get an advantage.
“I don’t take drugs, I don’t take anything illegal, and I just work hard and just let my God-given abilities speak for themselves.”
Coleman was nearly banned from competing in the World Athletics Championships and Tokyo 2020 because of anti-doping whereabouts rulesCredit: AFP or licensors
However, a successful appeal meant his temporary ban was overturnedCredit: AP:Associated Press
Christian Coleman wins mens 100m final at the World Athletics Championships with a time of 9.76 seconds
Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
