Star Metro - US newcomer Anthony crowned world indoor sprint king

The 21-year-old American champion clocked a season's best of 6.41 seconds for a stunning win.

Jamaica's Kishane Thompson, the world and Olympic 100m silver medallist, came in second in a personal best of 6.45sec as the Caribbean island's gold medal drought in the event continued.

American Trayvon Bromell, who won the 60m back in 2016 and was part of the world gold medal-winning 4x100m relay team last year in Tokyo, claimed bronze in a photo finish with Thompson.

Defending champion Jeremiah Azu of Britain was fourth in 6.46sec.

Anthony has made an electrifying start to his professional career after years of accolade in the 60m and 100m events at the NCAA US collegiate level.

This month he won the 60m at the USATF Indoor Championships in 6.45sec, ahead of Bromell and his training partner Noah Lyles, the Olympic 100m champion, who clocked 6.51.

While gold again proved elusive for Jamaica, it has never been a problem for the US team, with the likes of Maurice Greene, Justin Gatlin, Christian Coleman and Bromell all previously winning on the world indoor stage.

Anthony's gold was the 12th time an American had won the 60m in 21 editions of the world indoors.

With multiple contenders in sub-6.50 form, there was little room for error.

The sprinters had set out their stall in the competitive semi-finals.

Bromell raced to a then-new world lead of 6.42m, while Anthony and Azu set personal bests of 6.43 and 6.45sec respectively.

Come the final, Anthony was out of the blocks rapidly for a tiny lead he managed to hold through to the line.

The next three sprinters could only be separated after a lengthy examination of finishing photo shots.

Cameroon's Emmanuel Eseme, Taymir Burnet of the Netherlands and Belgium's Simon Verherstraeten made up the numbers in the eight-man final.

F.Davis--SMC