DL Final Men’s 100 — Blake Upsets The Apple Cart

BEFORE THE MEN’S dash final, one would have figured the battle would be between Americans Fred Kerley and Christian Coleman, two of the most consistent men on the circuit. The cold weather might have played a role in upending the formchart, because the only sprinter who burned a sub-10.00 was the guy who has never come close to winning a Diamond League race before.

Coleman failed to get his usual start out of lane 6. Instead, he matched speed with South Africa’s Akani Simbine in 5 and Kerley in 4. Meanwhile, in 3, Jamaica’s Ackeem Blake, who had failed to make the Paris final, got out with a hesitant half-step as his opening stride. Yet he recovered well enough that by 10-meters he was one of those sharing the lead, and by 20 he was gone.

No one had the wheels to match the 22-year-old as he found his stride and streaked to his $30,000 prize unchallenged in 9.92 (wind of 0.1). Coleman, ahead of Kerley for most of the distance, managed to hang on in 10.00, with the Olympic bronze medalist 3rd in 10.01. There was a crush at the line for 4th place, Cameroonian Emmanuel Eseme (10.09) edging) Simbine and Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, both in 10.10.

“It was a surprise to win here today,” said Blake. “I’ve been working very hard this season and I kept motivated. That´s why I am so strong at the end of this season. I know what I am capable of and I know that this is only the beginning.”

Said Coleman, “It would have been better to take the win but I am satisfied.”

Jeff Hollobaugh is a writer and stat geek who has been associated with T&FN in various capacities since 1987. He is the author of How To Race The Mile. He lives in Michigan where he can often be found announcing track meets in bad weather.