World Athletics Championships: Controversial US, Coleman sprints to 100m gold
US sprinter Christian Coleman stormed to 100 meters gold at the World Athletics Championships in Doha Saturday, shrugging off the controversy that had threatened his participation in the global showpiece.
Coleman was a hot favorite going into the final and did not disappoint with a blistering winning time of 9.76 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year and sixth best of all time.
Reigning world champion Justin Gatlin took the silver medal, with Canadian Andre De Grasse completing the podium in 9.90 seconds, with the first five men crossing the line in under 10 seconds in perfect conditions.
Reigning world champion Justin Gatlin took the silver medal, with Canadian Andre De Grasse completing the podium in 9.90 seconds, with the first five men crossing the line in under 10 seconds in perfect conditions.
Drug allegations:
But Coleman had looked set to miss the championships after it emerged in August that he had missed three drugs tests in 12 months under the ‘whereabouts’ system and was potentially facing an automatic one-year ban.
The case against the 23-year-old, who has vigorously protested his innocence of doping, was eventually dropped on a technicality over dates and he was allowed to compete.
Coleman told CNN in an interview before the championships that he received a phone call from US Anti Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart offering an apology.
Gatlin, claiming silver at 37 years of age, has also had a career dogged by controversy, banned by USADA between 2006 and 2010 for two positive doping tests, but showed all his experience after a disappointing semifinal performance.
In an embarrassment for organizers, the compelling action on the track was watched by a sparse crowd in the low thousands in the Khalifa Stadium.
Source: CNN Sports
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