Christian Coleman defeated Noah Lyles, while Ryan Crouser completed his gold-medal collection to open the world indoor track and field championships on Friday.
Coleman won the 60m in 6.41 seconds in Glasgow, Scotland, edging Lyles by three hundredths to reverse their one-two finish from the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships two weeks ago.
“I know I’ve got a lot to do outdoors, but as far as the 60m goes, I feel like I’m the best ever,” Coleman, who owns the 60m world record of 6.34 from 2018, told Lewis Johnson for NBC Sports.
Coleman had the fastest reaction time Friday (.127). Lyles was seventh out of the blocks in the eight-man field (.159) and narrowed the gap late but could not catch Coleman like he did at nationals.
WORLD INDOORS: Results | Broadcast Schedule
“There was definitely a point where I saw where Christian was, and I’m like about to catch him,” said Lyles, who lowered his 60m personal best from 6.51 to 6.43 this season. “I just kind of didn’t do what I normally do, but 6.44, I’m never going to complain about that. I’ve dreamed of this moment where I’m just running 6.4s back to back to back.”
Coleman will look this summer to become the first person to win the indoor 60m world title and the Olympic 100m title in the same year.
In 2023, Lyles swept the 100m, 200m and 4x100m golds at the world outdoor championships.
Coleman was fifth in the 100m final, then four weeks later beat Lyles in the Diamond League Final in 9.83 seconds, matching Lyles’ winning time from worlds.
To get to Paris in the 100m, Coleman and Lyles must finish in the top three at June’s Olympic Trials.
"(Coleman) is probably my biggest competitor, and I’m so close to him at 60 (meters), and my best part is the next 40 (meters),” Lyles said. “Y’all ain’t got no chance.”
Also Friday, Crouser won his first world indoor title to complete his set of global shot put golds.
The 31-year-old American prevailed with a 22.77-meter throw. His world indoor record is 22.82. His world outdoor record is 23.56.
He owns the top five outdoor throws in history and the top five indoor throws.
Crouser is the two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist, two-time reigning world outdoor champion and a Diamond League season champion.
Crouser and retired pole vaulter Stacy Dragila are the only Americans to win the Olympics, indoor and outdoor worlds and break the indoor and outdoor world records in one individual track and field event.
World indoors debuted in 1985 and does not include some events that are on the Olympic program, including most of the sprints.
This summer, Crouser can become the first person to win a third Olympic shot put gold medal.
American Chase Jackson (née Ealey) took bronze in the women’s shot put after winning the world outdoor title the last two summers. Jackson said she almost didn’t compete due to a groin injury sustained in practice Thursday.
Canadian Sarah Mitton, last year’s outdoor silver medalist, won with a 20.22-meter throw.
World indoors continue Saturday, live on Peacock, featuring Olympic gold medalist Katie Moon in the pole vault and world record holder Grant Holloway in the 60m hurdles.
