Christian Coleman, the 2019 World Champion in the 100 meters, has recently made waves in the track and field world, not only for his performances but also for a key coaching change that he believes has revitalized his career. After narrowly missing out on qualifying for the individual races at the Paris Olympics, Coleman felt a shift in his approach was necessary, leading to a significant change in his coaching team—a decision that appears to be bearing fruit.
In a recent race at the Rome Diamond League, Coleman finished second in the 100 meters, clocking a solid time of 9.92 seconds, just behind the up-and-coming star, Letsile Tebogo, who won with a time of 9.87 seconds. Fred Kerley followed closely, taking third place with a time of 9.95 seconds. While Coleman’s performance in the relay was disappointing, as the U.S. 4x100m relay team was disqualified in the final, his absence from the individual races at the Olympics was particularly difficult for him to accept.
Reflecting on the changes he’s made recently, Coleman pointed to his decision to switch coaches as the most significant factor. This change, which had been the subject of much speculation, was finally confirmed by Coleman after the race in Rome, marking his first competition since the U.S. trials. The shift was first hinted at by Track Spice on July 9, when it was reported that Coleman had been spotted training with Dennis Mitchell at the Star Athletics Track Club. This is the same club where Sha’Carri Richardson, a sprinting sensation rumored to be Coleman’s girlfriend, also trains.
This new partnership represents a major departure from his long-standing relationship with Tim Hall, who had been Coleman’s coach since his college days at the University of Tennessee. Under Hall’s guidance, Coleman reached some of the highest points in his career, including his personal best of 9.76 seconds in the 100 meters—a performance that earned him gold at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. This time made Coleman the sixth-fastest man in history, and he also set a world record in the 60 meters with a time of 6.34 seconds. Hall’s influence was pivotal in Coleman’s early success, and until recently, Coleman had remained confident in his coaching.
However, after a disappointing showing at the U.S. Olympic trials—where Coleman, despite running the fastest times in the qualifying rounds, stumbled in the final 10 meters of the 100m final and finished fourth with a time of 9.92 seconds—he realized that a change was needed. This disappointing result meant that Coleman’s hopes of competing in both the 100m and 200m at the Paris Olympics were dashed, highlighting the necessity for a new approach.
Now, under the guidance of Mitchell, Coleman is seeing positive results, and his recent performance in Rome suggests that this coaching change might be the key to unlocking his full potential as he looks ahead to future competitions.
