Christian Coleman leaves US Olympics trials as the biggest loser after back-to-back heartbreaks

Christian Coleman

Christian Coleman leaves US Olympics trials as the biggest loser after back-to-back heartbreaks

Joel Omotto 23:00 - 30.06.2024

Christian Coleman came into the US Olympics trials as one of the athletes in good form but it counted for nothing as he leaves disappointed after failing to secure a ticket to Paris.

Former world 100m champion Christian Coleman is among the biggest losers from the US Olympics trials as he will not compete in 2024 Games in both 100m and 200m.

Coleman finished fourth in both 100m and 200m at the trials, meaning he will miss the Olympics for a second straight edition unless he makes the US team for the 4x100m relay.

The World Indoor champion came into the trials as one of the in-form runners of 2024 but he leaves it disappointed, having failed to achieve his desires.

In the 100m, triple world champion Noah Lyles won the race, equalling his personal best time of 9.83, ahead of Kenny Bednarek, who clocked 9.87. The 2022 world 100m champion Fred Kerley sealed the podium, crossing the finish line in a time of 9.88, while Coleman was fourth in 9.93.

In the 200m, Lyles prevailed once again in a world leading time of 19.53, with Kenny Bednarek second in a time of 19.59, his personal best, as Erriyon Knighton timed 19.77 to complete America’s 200m line-up. Coleman was fourth in 19.89.

Coleman missed the Tokyo Olympics following an 18-month suspension over a doping violation and he had hoped to right those wrongs this year.

However, the cruel nature of the US Olympics trials befall him as his form counted for nothing in the end, given only the first three across the line sealed their tickets to Paris.

The 28-year-old had sent an early warning when he won the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland in March and won four of his first five 100m races before the finals at the trials, the only other defeat being second place.

It explains why he was very disappointed to lose out on a spot on the 100m team to the Olympics.

“About a day or two, I think…I was just dealing with those feelings and emotions and that’s what I feel like is the beauty of track and field but it’s just like what makes it so tough,” he said.

“We train so hard for these specific moments but to me like, that’s what the stories need to be told the fact that that’s just greatness."

In 200m, he had managed second place on three occasions, with fifth place once, before losing the fourth place.

He will have to wait for the LA Olympics in 2028 when he will be 32 to try and get into the team and possibly a medal.