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Coleman brushes off controversy after 100m triumph

American finished ahead of defending champion Gatlin and Canada's De Grasse.

Christian Coleman stormed to 100 metres victory at the World Championships and immediately dismissed the controversy surrounding him.

The American, who arrived in Doha following a missed drugs tests charge, clocked a world leading time of 9.76 seconds – making him the sixth fastest man in history.

Justin Gatlin and Canada's Andre De Grasse came second and third respectively in Doha on Saturday night, with defending champion Gatlin missing out on a fourth world title.

Coleman denied the US Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) charge of missing three tests in 12 months and they withdrew it earlier in September after guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency.

"It's been behind me. That's not something I was ever focusing on. I knew that I would be here," said the 23-year-old, who claimed silver in London two years ago.

"It's sad someone would try to skew my reputation. I don't know how the information got out there to the public but it shouldn't have.

IAAF World Athletics Championships 2019 – Day Two – Khalifa International Stadium
USA's Christian Coleman celebrates after winning in Doha (Martin Rickett/PA)

"I'll just keep doing what I've been doing and focus on me. Now I'm a world champion and that's something that nobody can ever take away from me.

"It's pretty disheartening to know that there are people out there saying things, especially when they don't know me personally at all. I feel at this point I am all over it.

"Obviously people think what they want to think. I cannot spend much time explaining a situation to people who aren't interested in truth. So, I wasn't focused on that at all."

IAAF World Athletics Championships 2019 – Day Two – Khalifa International Stadium
Zharnel Hughes was not at his best (Martin Rickett/PA)

Great Britain's European champion Zharnel Hughes, who runs in the 200m heats on Sunday, was sixth in 10.03secs at the Khalifa International Stadium.

He said: "It was a messed up race. Unfortunately my body wasn't responding and when I pushed off I wasn't feeling myself.

"I really don't know, I was fine after the semi-finals, I was charged up for the race but as the gun banged I started feeling light headed.

"I tried my best to get composed and every time I tried to do something which was relaxing it just kept getting worse."

It was the first major championships without Usain Bolt since 2003 and Coleman, who won silver in London two years ago, dominated – being the only man to run quicker than 10 seconds in all three races.

IAAF World Athletics Championships 2019 – Day Two – Khalifa International Stadium
Adam Gemili (left) found the going tough (Martin Rickett/PA)

Great Britain's Adam Gemili and Ojie Edoburun failed to progress beyond the semi-finals.

Gemili, who will also run the 200m, finished third in his semi while Edoburun came fifth in 10.22s.

Earlier, Dina Asher-Smith safely reached the 100m semi-finals as she eyes her first individual medal at this level in Sunday's final.

The four-time European champion ran 10.96s but Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce showed Asher-Smith what she is up against with a time of 10.80s – the fastest women's 100m heat in World Championships history.

IAAF World Athletics Championships 2019 – Day Two – Khalifa International Stadium
Shelayna Oskan-Clarke missed out on a place in the 800m final (Martin Rickett/PA)

Daryll Neita and Imani Lansiquot joined Asher-Smith in the semis but Asha Philip missed out.

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and Alex Bell echoed Philip in failing to make their final as they were unable to get past the 800m semis.

But GB team-mates Elliot Giles, Jamie Webb and Kyle Langford all reached the men's 800m semi-finals.

IAAF London Diamond League – Day One – London Stadium
Emily Diamond will be in action on Sunday (John Walton/PA)

In the new mixed 4x400m relay heats Martyn Rooney, Rabah Yousif, Zoey Clark and Emily Diamond reached Sunday's final after coming fourth.

Steph Twell was 15th in the 10,000m as the title went to Holland's Sifan Hassan.

Elsewhere, Jamaica's Tajay Gayle won the long jump with the 10th biggest jump of all time, 8.69m.

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Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes, Ghana's Joseph Paul Amoah and Liberia's Emmanuel Matadi in action at the World Athletics Championship on September 27, 2019
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