Athletics-Coleman romps to U.S. 100 metres title

By Gene Cherry

DES MOINES, Iowa July 26 (Reuters) - Christian Coleman showed again he is the man to beat in the 100 metres as he cruised to victory at the U.S. nationals and world championship trials with another sub-10 second run on Friday.

World silver medallist Coleman, who holds the year's fastest time of 9.81 seconds, won the final in 9.99 seconds after clocking 9.96 in the semi-finals.

Mike Rodgers and Christopher Belcher joined Coleman on the U.S. team for the Doha world championships. Both were timed at 10.12 seconds but Rodgers was runnerup by six thousandths of a second.

Justin Gatlin, who has automatic entry to the world championships as the reigning 100m champion, did not run the final after finishing third in his semi-final in 10.16 seconds.

Teahna Daniels, who turned professional this week, won the women's 100 in 11.20 seconds with a strong last half. She had finished fourth in the U.S. collegiate championships.

Olympian English Gardner clocked 11.25 for second and Morolake Akinosun took third in 11.28.

Allyson Felix, a six-times Olympic gold medallist, continued her bid to race at the worlds, the new mum making the final of the women's 400 metres with a run of 51.45 seconds that earned fourth place in her semi-final.

She is racing for the first time in 13 months after giving birth to a daughter in November.

Shakima Wimbley had the day's fastest time of 50.20.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Des Moines, Iowa; Editing by Ian Ransom)