We are at May 12th, but for the moment the 100 meter universe hasn’t taken off yet. There are less than three months left until the Paris 2024 Olympics (July 26-August 11) and the spark has yet to fly in the queen of athletics. Currently sOnly three athletes went under the 10-second mark: the 17 year old American Christian Miller scored 9.93 (1.6 m/s of favorable wind) last April 20th in Clermont, his compatriot Brandon Hicklin printed a convincing 9.94 (+1.7) on April 27 in Baton Rouge, the Nigerian Favor Oghene Tejiri Ashe posted a nice 9.99 on March 30 in Gainesville.
Three names that until a few weeks ago were not at the forefront of the speed panorama, there is even a minor (he will blow out the candles on May 16th) at the top of the world lists with a time of great impact. Suffice it to say that the absolute phenomenon Noah Lyles hasn’t managed to break the barrier yet: The World Champion in 100, 200, 4×100 stopped at 10.01 (+1.7 m/s) on April 13 in Gainesville and then took part in the World Relays, running the last leg of the sprint relay.
The other American Kenneth Bednarek also stopped at 10.01 (amazing on Friday evening in the 200 meters in the Diamond League with the world lead from 19.67), the South African Akani Simbine and the Canadian Malachi Murray. And the best Italian? Chituru Ali ran a superb 10.06 (+1.8 m/s) in Dubai on May 3, becoming the fourth fastest Italian player in history: can the sprinter from Como seriously aim to bring down the ten-second barrier after Filippo Tortu and Marcell Jacobs? The 25-year-old is 16th in the world lists, while we have to go further down to find our other standard bearers.
Marcell Jacobs occupies 32nd place with 10.11 (+0.9 m/s) placed on April 27 in Jacksonville: a lackluster start, but a great start for the Olympic Champion, who dragged Italy to the World Relays and who will return to the competition Saturday 18 May in Rome to challenge Chituru Ali on the straight. Philip Tortu he is instead 57th with 10.15 (+1.7 m/s) run on April 13th in Gainesville: we will see him again on Saturday in the capital over 200 meters.
WORLD SEASONAL 100 METERS LISTS
1. Christian Miller (USA) 9.93
2. Brandon Hicklin (USA) 9.94
3. Favor Oghene Tejiri Ashe (Nigeria) 9.99
4. Noah Lyles (USA) 10.01
4. Kenneth Bednarek (USA) 10.01
4. Akani Simbine (South Africa) 10.01
4. Malachi Murray (Canada)
8. Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (Japan) 10.02
8. Pjai Austin (USA) 10.02
8. Kyree King (USA) 10.02
8. Hiroki Yanagita (Japan) 10.02
—
16. Chituru Ali (Italy) 10.06
32. Marcell Jacobs (Italy) 10.11
57. Filippo Tortu (Italy) 10.15
