Diamond League Final in Eugene 2023: Christian Coleman holds off Noah Lyles for 100m title
Coleman denies reigning world champion Lyles a dream end to a spectacular season by winning the Diamond League Trophy at the Prefontaine Classic.
Athletics
Former world champion Christian Coleman held off a charging Noah Lyles to win his first Diamond League Trophy in five years on home soil in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday (16 September).
A pumped-up Coleman let out loud screams as he flexed every muscle in his body after claiming the scalp of reigning global champion Noah Lyles in a world-leading time of 9.83 seconds. He shares the world-leading time with Lyles and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes. The 27-year-old Coleman rocketed out of the blocks for a flying start and an early advantage over a stacked field including Lyles on his outside.
Lyles produced a strong surge over the final half of the race, but his top-end speed was not enough for him to catch up to Coleman and had to settle for second place in a time of 9.85. African record-holder Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya earned the rostrum courtesy of a photo finish.
“In races like that, I usually might get tight or just not execute the back end, but I was able to just find a sense of confidence and believe in myself like I knew I was supposed to win this race and so I was able to stay composed and put out a win at the end," Coleman said.
"This year I feel like I had a mental breakthrough to where I’m able to just find my stride and stick to it. And I feel like next year I’ll be able to capitalise.”
World silver medallist Tebogo Letsile produced a below-par performance finishing eighth in a pedestrian 10.61. The race got off to an initial rocky start when Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake was shown a red card for a false start reducing the field to eight sprinters. His namesake and compatriot, former champion Yohan Blake, finished sixth in 10.08.
Lyles was looking to bring his season to a climactic end after sweeping the 100m and 200m at the World Athletics Championships in August becoming the first man to do so since Usain Bolt in 2015. He also anchored the U.S. team to victory in the men’s 4x100m relay making him the undisputed sprinting king in 2023.
“I’ve been having great block starts, this is my second fastest time of the year. Of course, I wanted the win, but more importantly is that the crowd got to come out here and I got to be in front of them. After a World Championship win, I know that’s what they really wanted to see," Lyles said.
“I was able to do a victory lap, even though I didn’t win the victory, but they were just as excited.”
Prefontaine Classic Diamond League Final 2023 - Men's 100m results
- Christian Coleman (USA) - 9.83 seconds
- Noah Lyles (USA) - 9.85
- Ferdinand Omanyala (KEN) - 9.85
- Kishane Thompson (JAM) - 9.87
- Marvin Bracy-Williams (USA) - 10.01
- Yohan Blake (JAM) - 10.08
- Joshua Hartmann (GER) - 10.30
- Letsile Tebogo (BOT) - 10.61
- Ackeem Blake (JAM) - DQ