World Athletics Championships 2019: Christian Coleman storms to gold in men’s 100m in Doha

The American recorded the sixth-fastest time in history

Christian Coleman stormed to 100 metres victory at the World Championships as Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes missed out on a medal.

The American, who arrived in Doha following a missed drugs tests controversy, clocked a world leading time of 9.76 seconds to prove he was a class apart.

Justin Gatlin and Canada’s Andre De Grasse came second and third in Doha on Saturday night, with defending champion Gatlin missing out on a fourth world title.

European champion Hughes, who struggled with his start during the earlier rounds, was sixth in 10.03secs at the Khalifa International Stadium.

It was the first championships without Usain Bolt since 2003 and Coleman, who won silver in London two years ago, dominated – being the only man to run sub-10 in all three races.

Christian Coleman celebrates crossing the line (EPA)

In August the 23-year-old was charged with missing three drugs tests, which carried an automatic one-year ban.

He denied the charge and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) withdrew it after guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Great Britain’s Adam Gemili and Ojie Edoburun failed to progress beyond the semi-finals.

Gemili, who will also run the 200m, finished third in his semi while Edoburun came fifth in 10.22s.

“I gave it what I could but it just wasn’t up to par to make the final,” said Edoburun.

“I can only take positives from it as I’ve made a lot of improvements this season, going from someone who watches these competitions from home to actually being here.”

Earlier, Dina Asher-Smith safely reached the 100m semi-final as she eyes her first individual medal at this level in Sunday’s final.

Dina Asher-Smith safely reaches the 100m semi-final (Reuters)

The four-time European champion ran 10.96s but Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce showed Asher-Smith what she is up against with a time of 10.80s – the fastest women’s 100m heat in World Championships history.

Daryll Neita and Imani Lansiquot joined Asher-Smith in the semis but Asha Philip missed out.

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Alex Bell joined Philip in failing to make their final as they were unable to get past the 800m semis.

But GB team-mates Elliot Giles, Jamie Webb, Kyle Langford all reached the men’s 800m semi-finals and Giles sent a message to his father afterwards.

“My dad (Danny) is not very well and he is a stubborn b***** and he is refusing to go to hospital,” said Giles. “I have sent family chat messages to get him to hospital, so have my sister, aunties and uncles.

“He has a whole list of problems. It’s a long list from the lung area to the huge disability in his feet.

“I will call him out and if I get home I will beat him up. He’s bigger than me so he can lie on me but I’m quicker.”

In the new mixed 4x400m relay heats Martyn Rooney, Rabah Yousif, Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond reached Sunday’s final after coming fourth.

Steph Twell was 15th in the 10,000m as the title went to the Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan.

Elsewhere, Jamaica’s Tajay Gayle won the long jump with the 10th biggest jump of all time, 8.69m.

PA