Returning Coleman eyeing worlds at US trials

Eugene, United States

Christian Coleman is looking forward to honing his competitive cutting edge as he builds towards the defence of his world 100m crown at a star-studded US Track and Field Championships starting in Oregon this week.

The 26-year-old 2019 World Championship 100m gold medallist returned to the track this season after serving an 18-month suspension for missing multiple drug-testing appointments, a ban that ruled him out of last year's Tokyo Olympics where he had been strongly tipped to win.

As a reigning world champion, Coleman is already assured of his place at the World Championships, which are being staged next month at Hayward Field in Eugene -- the same venue for this week's trials.

But Coleman is desperate to lay down a marker in his signature event this week, where he will be up against several rivals expected to be vying for his crown at the worlds.

"This season has been a learning experience and I feel I need all the races I can get," Coleman said following his win at the New York Grand Prix earlier this month.

"I'm ready to go out there and go to battle with these guys."

Although Micah Williams is the fastest American over 100m this year, with a time of 9.86sec set at a meeting in Fayetteville in May, Coleman, whose season best is 9.92sec, believes he is capable of reproducing his best world-beating performances.

"I'm the same guy, I feel like it's there," Coleman said. "I just feel like if you have a long layoff obviously it's going to affect you.

"I'm just taking it one race at a time and trying to get better and better."

The biggest threats to Coleman's chances of victory this week are likely to come from Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley and Kenneth Bednarek.

Felix swansong

In the women's 100m, the spotlight will also shine on Sha'Carri Richardson, another athlete who missed last year's Tokyo Olympics due to anti-doping regulations.

Richardson sprinted to victory at last year's US Olympic trials -- also at Hayward Field -- but saw her dream of an Olympic medal end after a suspension for testing positive for marijuana use.

This week Richardson will be hoping to secure a top three finish in either the 100m or 200m in order to advance to her first world championships.

Her biggest rival over 100m is likely to be close friend Aleia Hobbs. Hobbs beat Richardson in New York earlier this month.

In the 200m, Richardson is likely to face stiffer opposition in the shape of Abby Steiner, who set a world leading time of 21.80 on June 11, as well as Gabby Thomas, who clocked 21.98.

If Richardson and rising star Steiner are the future of US track and field, Allyson Felix will stride closer to the end of her career.

The 36-year-old queen of the track -- a seven-time Olympic gold medallist -- will compete in the 400m in what is her final US championships before she retires from the sport later this year.

The men's 200m meanwhile will see teenager Erriyon Knighton renew his rivalry with reigning world champion Noah Lyles.

Knighton, 18, has the world's fastest time over 200m this year, clocking 19.49sec at a meeting in Baton Rouge in April. Lyles is the second quickest over the distance at 19.61.

Elsewhere this week, the women's 400m hurdles sees Olympic champion and world record holder Sydney McLaughlin renew her rivalry with 2019 world champion Dalilah Muhammad, while the 800m is another opportunity for 20-year-old Olympic champion Athing Mu to take centre stage.

One of the more intriguing subplots comes in the men's 110m hurdles, where the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devon Allen is hoping to extend his recent run of victories.

Allen caused shockwaves around the sport earlier this month when he swept to victory over world champion Grant Holloway in the third fastest time in history at the New York Grand Prix.