Christian Coleman edges Noah Lyles in battle for 60 meter gold at world indoor championships

1-2 sweep for the US: Gold medalist Christian Coleman, silver medalist Noah Lyles. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

It took a world-leading time for Christian Coleman to beat Noah Lyles for the 60-meter title at the World Athletics Indoor track and field Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on Friday.

In a showdown between American teammates, the 27-year-old edged Lyles with a time of 6.41 seconds for the gold. Lyles, who specializes in the 200-meter dash, claimed the silver with a time of 6.44 seconds. The 26-year-old couldn’t make up ground in the short race after Coleman immediately established a gap on him with a blistering start. Ackeem Blake of Jamaica took third with a 6.46.

While it was a redemption win for Coleman in a couple of ways, Lyles comes out of the race looking as formidable as ever ahead of the looming outdoor season and Paris Olympic Games.

Coleman set the indoor 60-meter world record in 2018 with a historic time of 6.34 in Birmingham, England. Six years later, thanks to a race that also took place in the United Kingdom, he’s back on top.

But the years that separated the career milestones featured a resounding low point, as Coleman served an 18-month suspension due to three whereabouts failures for drug testing in a 12-month period. The ban kept him out of the Tokyo Olympics, where Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs shocked fans and won 100-meter gold in 9.80 seconds. The result left many wondering how Coleman, who holds a personal best of 9.76, would have fared on the Olympic stage. Now, he’s confident in his odds.

“Even a few weeks ago I was having a few hiccups in my training but I feel like I am made for these types of moments,” Coleman said after his win on Friday. “I think I am the greatest 60-meter runner ever, 100%. But the exciting part is that I feel like my ceiling is so much higher.”

Coleman faces tough odds to claim victory in the 100-meter dash at the Olympics, as no one has ever won the indoor 60m world title and the Olympic 100m title in the same year. His claiming to be the king of the event comes after he lost to Lyles for the 60-meter indoor world title in February.

Coming just a hair short of his first word title in the 60-meter dash on Friday, Lyles didn’t seem too concerned with second place.

“Shoot, what an amazing indoor season,” he said. “They say I wasn’t a 60 guy but look at me now. If I’m beating these guys in the 60m, they’ve really got no chance in the outdoors.”

Lyles came within .1 seconds of Colemans’ 2018 world record last month. On Friday, he was looking to become the first sprinter to put together world titles in the 60 meters, 100 meters and 200 meters in a decade. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica was the last to win gold in all three events.

It would’ve been an accomplishment to add to the list of many for Lyles, as he is the first man since Usain Bolt to win the 100m and 200m title at the same world championship meet. He claimed that accolade when he swept the events in Budapest last August. Additionally, he and Bolt are the only three-time World gold medalists in the men’s 200.

How did the other Americans do?Indoor shot put world record holder Ryan Crouser won the indoor event Friday. The former Texas Longhorns standout notched a championship record with a mark of 74 feet, 8½ inches for his first world indoor title in the event. No competitor came within two feet. Crouser is an overwhelming favorite to win his third Olympic gold in the men’s shot put during the Paris Games.

Also claiming hardware for Team USA, Chase Jackson won bronze in the women’s shot put. Jackson’s collection continues to grow, as she has won gold in the world outdoor event for the last two years. It was Canadian Sarah Mitton who secured the win on Friday, posting a 20.22-meter throw.

Jackson said she was close to withdrawing from the competition due to a groin injury she sustained in practice. American high jumper Vashti Cunningham didn’t compete due to a stomach bug.

On Saturday, Day 2 of the world indoor championships, 60-meter hurdles world record holder Grant Holloway and Olympic gold medalist pole vaulter Katie Moon will be in action for America. The meet ends on Sunday.