Well, the Diamond League in Xiamen on April 26th was definitely one of those “bad luck days” for the Americans. Everyone thought Christian Coleman would come out and dominate, but from the moment the race started, things went sideways for him. He just couldn’t find his rhythm, finishing in fourth place with a 10.18s. It was clear early on that no American sprinter was going to make it to the podium. But what about the others? And who ended up on top?

Well, it was none other than South Africa’s pride, Akani Simbine, who took the lead, crossing the line in a sizzling 9.99 seconds to grab the win. Fellow African Ferdinand Omanyala wasn’t too far behind either, with the Kenyan finishing second. His time? A solid 10.13s. Closing the top three spots was Britain’s Jeremiah Azu, who got a time of 10.17 seconds. But while the Americans failed to dominate, it was a field day for the others.

We also saw a tie for fifth place between Australian Lachlan Kennedy and Cameroon’s Emmanuel Eseme, both tying for fifth place in 10.18 seconds. Meanwhile, Paris gold medalist Letsile Tebogo finished seventh with a time of 10.20 seconds. But if you thought we would see any Americans in the top ten, then you’re mistaken, as the last three spots were filled by the likes of China’s Zhenye Xie and Jamaica’s Rohan Watson.

For fans of Team USA, it was surely an underwhelming moment, as hardly ever does the nation suffer from this kind of hiccup. But on the other hand, the Xiamen Championships brought Simbine yet another moment of glory. He continues to be on a generational run as he adds to his victorious 2025 season. With the Botswana Grand Prix already under his belt, the sprinter should be quite confident.

But perhaps his recent confidence is justified after you remember the record he just broke. Yes, we are talking about how Akani Simbine broke Usain Bolt’s record earlier with his eleventh sub-10-second run in eleven straight years. But while the South African is pretty confident in his abilities, dark clouds seem to continue to hover over Christian Coleman’s journey since 2024.

Christian Coleman is turning adversity into opportunity for 2025

Christian Coleman produced mixed results during his comeback 2024 season, including multiple victories but also several close encounters. The ban for two years prevented Coleman from running in Tokyo, but he successfully regained his speed when he claimed the 60m gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow with a time of 6.41 seconds.

Christian Coleman set his 100m season best at 9.95 seconds at the Prefontaine Classic Eugene competition while beating Omanyala and other strong athletes in his heat. However, his outdoor season took a turn at the U.S. Olympic Trials, where he missed out on a spot for Paris 2024 after finishing fourth in both the 100m and 200m events. It was a bitter pill to swallow, surely.

But Coleman’s resolve remained unshaken as he aimed to come back even stronger. Heading into 2025, Track’s drive to prove himself was crystal clear. While his results for the season are still unfolding, his early performances suggest he’s gearing up for a big comeback. With laser focus and determination, Coleman declared war on his top competitors—Kishane Thompson, Noah Lyles, Akani Simbine, and more—as he kicked off his 2025 season in Xiamen.

Unfortunately, the race didn’t go as planned, and the result wasn’t what he had hoped for. But that hasn’t slowed him down. In the coming weeks, he’s setting the stage for a season of redemption, determined to show that his best is still ahead of him. The fight isn’t over yet, and Coleman is ready to prove he’s far from finished.