Coleman lays down marker with Bermuda 100m win

American sprinter scorches home ahead of compatriot Lyles in a wind-assisted 9.78sec

MIAMI:

US sprinter Christian Coleman powered to victory in the 100m at the Bermuda Grand Prix on Sunday, scorching home ahead of compatriot Noah Lyles in a wind-assisted 9.78sec.

Coleman, the 2019 100m world champion, got off to one of his trademark blistering starts and then held off the fast-closing Lyles in an impressive performance at Bermuda's Flora Duffy Stadium.

Lyles, the reigning world 200m champion, finished second in 9.80sec, with Jamaica's Ackeem Blake third, in 9.87sec. Canada's Andre DeGrasse, the 2020 Olympic 200m champion, finished seventh in 10.16sec.

"I feel like I executed pretty well," Coleman said after his run, which benefited from a strong following wind of 4.4meter/second.

"It's cliche, but I just stay in my lane. I knew I'd be hard to beat if I did that," added Coleman, who had not raced an outdoor 100m since August before Sunday's event.

Coleman is bidding to recapture his world title this season. He was banned from the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2021 due to multiple missed drug tests before returning to the track and finishing sixth in the 100m final at last year's World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.

Coleman will be one of the top challengers at July's US Outdoor Championships, which serve as the trials for the World Championships to be held in Budapest in August.

The top three finishers at the US trials will qualify for Budapest, along with reigning world champion Fred Kerley, who qualifies automatically.

"I think I've got a good shot," Coleman said of his chances of making the US team.

Kerley opened his outdoor season in Japan earlier on Sunday with a win in 9.91sec at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix in Yokohama.

Lyles, the two-time 200m world champion, is also expected to challenge in the 100m at the US trials.