Top-ranked sprinter set for new challenges on the pro side

By Scott Bush, DyeStat Editor

It's been an incredible past 12 months for sprinter Christian Coleman. After finishing second at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2016 in both the 100 and 200 meters, the then sophomore made the finals of the 100 at the U.S. Olympic Trials, finishing sixth to earn a spot on Team USA for the Rio Olympics.

After helping Team USA advance to the final in the 4x100 relay, Coleman returned to the University of Tennessee for his junior season. 

After a first-place showing in the 60 at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Coleman showed he's one of the fastest rising stars in the sport during the outdoor season, breaking the 10-second barrier four times during his spring campaign, including a world-leading 9.82 effort to not only win the 100 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last week, but set the collegiate record in the process.

To top it off, Coleman won the 200 as well, showing he has a choice to make at the USATF Outdoor Championships next week, whether he wants to double or just focus on the 100 as he did in 2016. 

With so much success, it comes as no surprise that Coleman has decided to forgo his senior year at Tennessee and turn pro. 

According to SEC Country, Coleman has signed with agent Emanuel Hudson of HSInternational, the same agency which represents English Gardner, Dawn Harper-Nelson and many other sprint and hurdle standouts, as well as former champions Maurice Greene, Allen Johnson and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.