When you think of American sprinting dominance in 2025, Noah Lyles might be the first name that comes to mind. But hold that thought for now. Why? Well, Christian Coleman, one of America’s fastest men, is quietly stealing the spotlight with his blistering speed and relentless drive. At just 29, Coleman has already carved out a legacy that rivals the best, with a personal best of 9.76 seconds in the 100m at the 2019 Doha World Championships, making him the sixth-fastest man in history for the event.

He’s also a force in the 4x100m relay, where his explosive starts and seamless baton passes have made him a cornerstone of Team USA. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Coleman clocked a season’s best of 9.88 in the 100m semi-finals but settled for fifth in the final with 9.92, behind Lyles’ winning 9.83. Yet, it was in the 4x100m relay where he shone, helping the U.S. to win gold in 37.38 seconds. So, what makes Coleman the man to watch over Lyles at the upcoming World Championships? Let’s dive into his next big stage.

Okay, so now we’re looking ahead to Tokyo! Coleman’s got a big chance to become a real legend at the 2025 World Championships. Guess what? The very last race of the entire event is the men’s 4x100m relay final! That’s huge! He’s already shown he’s tough, running in the Olympics back in 2016 and winning gold in the 4x100m at the World Championships in Budapest in 2023. Pretty cool, right?

But Tokyo is his shot to put his name up there with the best runners ever. He’s super fast, you know. He once ran the 60m in just 6.34 seconds! That was even the fastest time anyone had ever run it back in 2018. So, with his speed and how good he is in the relay, he’s got a good chance to help the USA team get another medal. But how close is he to being as amazing as someone like Usain Bolt? Well, that’s where looking at the numbers can tell us a lot!

Okay, talking about Bolt, guess what? Coleman is getting closer and closer to Bolt’s record for medals in the 4x100m relay at the World Championships! Someone at World Athletics Hub pointed out yesterday, April 9th, 2025, that Coleman has won four medals in that race at the World Championships so far. But Bolt has the most, with five. Now, if Coleman wins another medal in Tokyo, he’ll have five medals, just like Bolt!

That would make him one of the runners with the most medals ever in the 4x100m relay at the World Championships, right alongside a legend like Bolt! That would show how great he is! You know, Bolt was just amazing in the relay! He was part of the Jamaican team that set the world record in the 4x100m way back in 2012 at the London Olympics. Their time was super fast—36.84 seconds! The other guys on that team were Carter, Michael Frater, and Yohan Blake. What a team!

Coleman has already won a gold medal in the relay, so he knows how big a deal it is. And he’s shown before that he can perform when it counts. Remember when he won the world indoor title in the 60m in 2018? He even ran a record time for that competition—6.37 seconds! So, can he do it again in Tokyo and get that medal to match Bolt’s record? We’ll have to wait and see, but everyone who loves track is super excited to find out! But guess what? Coleman isn’t the only one who’s hoping to make history in Tokyo!

Besides Coleman, the other two legends also stand at the four-medal tally

That’s right, it’s not just Coleman going for it! There are a couple of other really fast guys running on that same track who have the same medal tally. One of them is Nesta Carter from Jamaica. He’s a real star sprinter and was a super important part of the relay team with Coleman’s hero, Usain Bolt! Guess what? Carter has also won four medals in the 4x100m at the World Championships, so he’s tied with Coleman right now!

He was even on that amazing Jamaican team that set the world record at the London Olympics in 2012! Plus, he won gold medals in the 4x100m at the World Championships in 2011, 2013, and 2015! Despite the sting of losing his 2008 Beijing Olympic gold due to a doping violation in 2017, Carter’s hunger for greatness mirrors Coleman’s drive, like when Coleman helped the U.S. to win 4x100m gold in Budapest in 2023. 

At 39, with a 100m bronze from the 2013 Worlds and retired, Carter will be curious to watch Coleman grab that fifth medal to join Bolt at the top in Tokyo. And there’s another really strong runner in the mix—Marlon Devonish from Great Britain! He’s another legend in the relay, and guess what? He also has four World Championship medals in the 4x100m relay, just like Coleman and Carter!

Devonish was a super important part of the British team that surprised everyone at the 2004 Athens Olympics. They won the gold medal, beating the U.S. by just a tiny bit! He’s been winning relay medals at the World Championships from 1999 to 2009, which shows how consistently good he’s been for so many years. They even called him a great “bend runner,” which means he was good at running around the curved part of the track during the relay!

Now 48 and retired, Devonish’s legacy inspires sprinters like Coleman, who’s chasing the same historic mark with his explosive speed—think of Coleman’s 9.76-second 100m personal best from 2019. As Coleman gears up for Tokyo, retired Devonish will be joining Carter, watching closely if Coleman surpasses their record with a fifth medal and matches the Great Usain Bolt’s medal tally. The track world is buzzing with excitement!