Coleman runs 9.82 collegiate record ahead of 100 final

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

EUGENE, Ore. -- Christian Coleman ran an understated collegiate record of 9.82 seconds Wednesday in the semfinals of the 100-meter dash at Hayward Field at the NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The performance screamed 'Wow.'

Coleman explained that he was merely trying to execute. And then when he does that "good things happen."

The Tennessee junior star wasn't in a mood for thumping his chest or making boasts about the final.

That might speak to the way he's been mentored, by the Tennessee coaching staff and by Vols alum Justin Gatlin, who has developed a friendship with Coleman.

As with Texas A&M's Fred Kerley, who couldn't restrain himself at the NCAA West prelims when he ran a collegiate-record 43.70 in the 400 meters, Coleman seems to have the star talent that simply can't wait for the finals.

Coleman's 9.82 made him the fourth-fastest American of all-time. It's a performance that could have put him in photo-finish range of Usain Bolt in Rio de Janiero last year. And it surely would have played for no worse than silver.

"The sky's the limit as far as how fast I can run," Coleman said.

Was the collegiate record on his mind?

"I'd say it was one of my goals," Coleman said. "I knew I could accomplish that. I knew it was something that was within my reach."

In separate prelims, Houston's Cameron Burrell and North Carolina A&T's Christopher Belcher both ran 9.93. Both performances, along with Coleman's, were wind-legal.

Belcher also ran 20.01 to lead all qualifiers in the 200 meters.

Six of the men who will go into the blocks in the 100-meter final also made it in the 200.

Kerley ran 44.57 and practially strolled over the final 20 meters of his 400-meter semifinal. He'll lead a startlist Friday that includes three freshmen -- Auburn duo Akeem Bloomfield and Nathon Allen of Jamaica and USC's Michael Norman.

Another freshman pair, this time from UTEP, ran the top two qualifying times in the 800 meters. Michael Saruni (1:46.38) and Emmanuel Korir (1:46.63) are into a final that includes three freshmen and two sophomores.

The 1,500 prelims saw the big names advance. Craig Engels of Ole Miss and Josh Kerr of New Mexico were the semifinal race winners.

Illinois junior David Kendziera qualified for the finals in both hurdles events. His 13.39 time in the 110 highs led all qualifiers. Freshman Grant Holloway ran 13.41 for the second-fastest time. Kemar Mowatt of Arkansas (48.64) and Rai Benjamin of UCLA (48.99) ran the fastest qualifying times in the 400 hurdles.

Pre-meet favorite Edwin Kibichy of Louisville safely advanced to the final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase with the fastest qualifying time (8:41.07).

Auburn ran a fantastic time of 38.47 to earn the best lane in the 4x100 relay final, just ahead of North Carolina A&T (38.48). The eight teams that qualified for the final all ran faster than 38.80.

Texas A&M offered a preview of what it's capable of in the 4x400 relay, going 2:59.95 for a world-leading performance. That's more than two seconds faster than the U.S. ran in a gold-medal winning performance at the IAAF World Relays.