Age is Just a Number to Justin Gatlin

By Adam Kopet

Justin Gatlin is the defending IAAF World Outdoor champion at 100 meters. According to Gene Cherry of Reuters, Gatlin plans to remain relevant in the event in 2019 at the age of 37.

In the two years since his 2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships title, Gatlin has changed coaches and collected a stable of young and fast athletes around him as training partners.

Gatlin has left Brooks Johnson and now trains under Gary Evans. His training partners include Steven Gardiner, the 2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships silver medalist over 400 meters from the Bahamas and the Olympic and World champion over the 110-meter hurdles from Jamaica, Omar McLeod.

Faced with younger competition, Gatlin will rely on superior strength and experience to continue to mix it up with the best in the world. Gatlin was not the fastest in London at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in 2017, but he came through when it mattered most, beating Christian Coleman and Usain Bolt in Bolt's last individual race.

As Gatlin prepares for the 2019 IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, expect to see him race at longer distances, in addition to 100-meter races. He might even turn up on an indoor 4x400 relay.