At the Tom Jones memorial, Noah Lyles did win the gold, but his performance did not impress the fans. This reflected in the World Athletics’ 100m rankings, as Lyles didn’t even feature in the top 10. Even Christian Coleman, who defeated Lyles in the World Indoor 60m, found himself on the sixth place, with a timing of 9.95s. Then who occupied the top spot? Well, it was none other than 17-year-old Christian Miller, who became the youngest person in history to break 10 seconds barrier in 100m.

While Lyles ran a decent 10.01s, this was the same time clocked by the second-placed Kenny Bednarek, who lost by five-thousandths of a second. Coming to the Shanghai Diamond League as the favorite, Coleman lost to Akani Simbine, after clocking a modest 10.04s. He also participated in the Atlanta City Games recently and clocked 14.41s to win the 150m event. Despite winning these races, there have been discussions about his slow times as a feistier and quicker version in Miller is on the block.

Christian Miller made records tumble at the Pure Athletics Spring Invitational 

Creekside High School, senior, Miller clocked an astonishing time of 9.93s at the Pure Athletics Spring Invitational in Clermont on April 20. Not only this was his personal best, but he topped the World Athletics list for 2024. It was only the second time that the time of under 10 seconds for the year was achieved, with Favour Ashe of Nigeria clocking 9.99 at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville on March 30.

This result also meant he broke the national Under-20 record set by Trayvon Bromell and reached number 3 on the all-time World Under-20 list. Apart from leading the charts, Miller also holds the world record in the U18 category. He ran 10.6s in the Pepsi Relays, further ascertaining himself as a strong contender for the future. 

Miller performance has seen him become the youngest athlete to breach the 10-second mark in 100ms – something that elite athletes including Lyles and Coleman are yet to achieve this season. The Florida native has risen quickly through the ranks after a string of impressive performances.

He won back-to-back Florida High School Athletic Association championships in the 200m and also won the 100m last year. At the USA Track & Field U20 Championships, he won and set his previous personal best in the 100m at 10.06, last July. That year also saw Miller win at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor, notching up a wind-aided 20.45 in the 200m. So what does it mean for Lyles and Coleman?

Surprisingly, while the teenager from Florida has been making history, Lyles and Coleman have been disappointing so far. Lyles’ 9.96s at the Bermuda Grand Prix received heavy backlash from the fans. And not only Lyles, but Christian Coleman too, is yet to showcase his A-game. This is something that Coleman had admitted saying that he is being more focused on making his way to the US trials than the actual Olympics.

“If you’re not at your best there then the season’s all for nought, really,” Coleman had said. “That’s what makes it so special to be on the American team — the fact it’s so hard to make it.”

On the other hand, Lyles has confidently mentioned going after Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58s, but has failed to put up numbers that will lend his chances to do that any credibility.

Miller has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the last year or so and he harbors big ambitions, which include Paris.

Christian Miller working towards ‘God’s plan’

With such accolades at just 17, Christian Miller showcased his best this weekend in Atlanta at the Edwin Moses Legends meet. At the 200m race, the High schooler finished 2nd in 20.54, behind Terrance Laird (20.30). Matthew Boling was placed third with 20.58. He faced a field of athletes including Matthew Boling, Elijah Hall, Micaiah Harris, Jeremiah Curry, Dorian Camel and Michael Ohioze.

“To be honest I’m just looking to execute everything I’ve practiced for the last few weeks. I know if I can do that then an elite time will result,” he had said.

Meanwhile, Miller has the last high school meet, New Balance Nationals Outdoor, in the pipeline before the big goal of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene. “I’m looking to go compete against some elite competition and if it’s in God’s plan, try to earn a spot on the team for Paris,” he said.

Update: At the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston Jamaica, Oblique Seville won the 100m in a world-leading 9.82, thus taking the top spot from Miller. The updated 100m rankings also now features Noah Lyles at number two, who finished second in the competition and breached the 10s mark for the first time this season with a time of 9.85s. Miller now sits at the fourth spot in the rankings.