'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cravont Charleston has come out of nowhere to upset several big names and take home the US title at this year's USATF Championships, being held in Eugene, Oregon.
Competing in his first US Championships final, Charleston finished just ahead of 2019 world champion, Christian Coleman, in a photo-finish. While Cravont finished with a time of 9.95s, Coleman was just 0.01s behind with a 9.96s finish. In third place was Noah Lyles, who clocked in a perfect 10.0s to close out the podium ranks.
Cravont Charleston had never been a part of an NCAA event earlier. But that doesn't mean he had no big-race experience. Earlier this year in June, the 25-year-old made another title-winning 9.95s finish at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Turku. The finish not only won him the title but also meant that he was the first man to run sub-10 seconds at the meeting, which became a meeting record.
Trending
Hi personal best, however, came in April this year, with a timing of 9.91 seconds. He ran his PB at the USATF Los Angeles Grand Prix, where he finished 2nd.
Having secured automatic qualification to this year's World Championship finals, current world champion Fred Kerley did not run in the event. The four men are now set to represent the USA at the upcoming global event in Budapest in August. They will be hoping to replicate USA's sweep from the 2022 World Championships.
As Cravont Charleston celebrates, Noah Lyles feels good after coming back from sickness
Having won the 100m title in his first-ever US Championship appearance, Cravont Charleston was quick to credit his training program, coaches, and his competitors on the track.
"I had a great view, Noah, Christian, everybody in the field, just pushing me, and I'm really glad I made it through," he said.
On the other hand, Noah Lyles, who clocked 9.94s during the semi-finals, revealed he had been dealing with Covid-related complications since the New York Grand Prix. Having only been cleared to compete on July 2, Lyles expressed slight disappointment at the final result but was still content for having made it through to the World Championships.
"It feels really good. Of course, I wanted it to be a lot faster - but I don’t care, I made the team. After coming off being sick, I couldn’t ask for more," Lyles said.
This year's championships are being broadcast by USATF.TV and PeacockTV, and serve as the national trials for the upcoming World Championships in August.
