Coleman runs 7th fastest time

Christian Coleman, left, of the United States cross the finish line to place first in the men's 100m during the Diamond League Memorial Van Damme athletics event at the King Baudouin stadium in Brussels on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

American Christian Coleman used an injury and media snubbing as motivation to scorch to the seventh-fastest 100m time of all time as he snatched the Diamond League trophy for the blue riband event in scintillating style in Brussels on Friday.

Coleman, the world record holder over 60m indoors and world 100m silver medallist in London last year, clocked a personal best of 9.79 seconds, the fastest 100m run since the now-retired Usain Bolt won the 2015 world title in Beijing. Only Bolt and fellow Jamaicans Yohan Blake, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter, and the US duo of Tyson Gay and Justin Gatlin have gone quicker.

Ronnie Baker had been tipped as the one to beat at the King Baudouin II stadium, but a dreadful start left him trailing the entire field before eventually finding his rhythm to push through behind Coleman in 9.93sec.

“Winning the Diamond League with a personal record, it’s like icing on the cake,” said the 22-year-old Coleman.

“It means a lot to notch my name in the sport and have my name among some of the greats.”

The American said his time overshadowed his showing in the 60m in the Birmingham world indoors in March, which was followed by a right hamstring injury that curtailed his training and competitive appearances.

“I now feel pretty good, I came into the whole weekend with a huge chip on my shoulder because people stopped talking about me, about all that I’d done this year,” he said.