Christian Coleman of the US in action with Japan's Abdul Hakim Sani Brown and Barbados' Mario Burke Reuters/Ahmed Jadallah
DOHA: Christian Coleman broke the 10-second barrier as he qualified fastest for the 100-meter semifinals at the world track championships on Friday.
The fastest man in the world this year, Coleman started strong and slowed the last 10 meters to finish in 9.98 seconds, weeks after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency dropped his case for missed tests because of a technicality.
Earlier, defending champion Justin Gatlin beat Olympic silver medalist Andre de Grasse in their heat. Gatlin ran 10.06 seconds to beat the slow-starting de Grasse. At 37, Gatlin is three years older than any other man in the 100.
It's the first world championships without world record holder Usain Bolt since 2003.
"It feels a little different. Usually when he's around it's pandemonium," Gatlin said. "You see a lot of young guys. They're stepping up and filling that void."
NCAA champion Divine Oduduru of Nigeria was a surprise withdrawal from his heat. No reason was immediately reported.
The 2011 champion Yohan Blake won in 10.07 despite the slowest start in his heat. The fastest man besides Coleman was Akani Simbine of South Africa in 10.01, while Britain's Zharnel Hughes and Brazil's Paulo Andre Camilo de Oliveira also won their heats.
