“I just go out there and compete no matter who’s on the line,” said former World Champion and American sprinter Christian Coleman ahead of the track and field trials on June 23. “But I feel like I’m still learning and evolving and there’s still so much more to go.” After a heartbreaking loss in the 100m at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials on Monday, Coleman has broken his silence. 

The speedster, who started the Olympic year strong with his success at the 60m Indoors, was pushed to the background by Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, and Fred Kerley in a 1-2-3 finish. Reflecting on the setback, Coleman shared his thoughts on what lies ahead in his Olympic journey.

Christian Coleman reflects on disappointing 100m loss

In a recent Instagram post after the 100m trials, Christian Coleman addressed the results of the race. He wrote, “Humbled and grateful God chose me for this path, and I promise to see it through🤞🏽the love and support has been felt and is much appreciated 🖤 this next phase is for y’all. Marathon continues🏁”. After finishing fourth in the trials with a time of 9.93 seconds, Christian Coleman was overtaken by Noah Lyles, who clinched first place with a time of 9.83 seconds. Followed by Kenny Bednarek at 9.87 seconds and Fred Kerley at 9.88 seconds.

Despite the outcome, Coleman’s “the marathon continues” reflects his determination to persevere despite challenges in the competition. The three of them will represent the USA in the men’s 100m dash at the Paris Olympics in August. Coleman’s failure to podium was unexpected, given his win at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in the 60m. Additionally, his outdoor track record at the Shanghai Diamond League and the Prefontaine Classic was also quite impressive. This, coupled with Fred Kerley’s recent refusal to compete at the USATF NYC Grand Prix, led fans and the track and field community to expect Coleman on the podium instead of Kerley.

However, that was not to be. Despite having an early start and being in the lead for some time, Christian Coleman faced high stress and expectations before the Olympic season, which may have affected his fourth-place finish. Despite the setback, Coleman can still qualify for the USA men’s Olympic team in the 200m event. The trials for this event are scheduled for the 27th and 28th of this month. Additionally, he remains a contender for the 4x100m relay team, as USATF retains discretion in selecting its final members.

Christian Coleman’s Olympic journey: Records, plans and goals ahead

Christian Coleman has had an illustrious career so far. He is a former world champion, having won gold in the 2019 World Championships. Additionally, he won the Diamond League 100m Finals in 2023 and secured a silver medal in the 2017 100m World Championships. He is also a 2-time 60m World Indoor champion and holds the world record in the event with a time of 6.34 seconds. However, Coleman was barred from the Tokyo Olympics due to an 18-month suspension for missing three drug tests in 2019.

The penalty was given by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. “For an athlete who believes wholeheartedly in clean sport, and who has competed cleanly my entire life, this decision is disappointing and frustrating to say the least,” Coleman had said at the time. In January this year, Coleman sat down with Citius Mag to talk about his strategy and his preparation for going into the Olympics. He said he’s locked in and focused. The most important thing for him is being healthy and training well, “You can’t do anything out of the ordinary. You can’t do something that you haven’t practiced or do something extra.” According to him, every T&F meet is just another opportunity to sharpen his sword and come back better, so that’s what he’s focusing on going forward into the rest of the Olympic trials.