Imagine being a world champion and losing to a high schooler… not once, but twice in the same day. That’s exactly what happened to Christian Coleman on June 14, 2025, at the Star Athletics Sprint Series in Florida. Coleman, the 60m world record holder and once one of the most feared starters in the game, was handed back-to-back losses by 18-year-old Maurice Gleaton. The teen torched the prelims with a blazing 9.87 seconds (+2.4 m/s wind), and Coleman? He finished third with 10.03 seconds. And just when people thought it might’ve been a fluke, Gleaton came back in the pro final and dropped a 9.82 (+2.8) to beat him again. Yikes. Let’s not sugarcoat it, 2025 has been rough for Coleman.
While he kicked off the year with a world indoor title in the 60m, his outdoor season has been a series of setbacks. Not a single 100m win. His only sub-10 of the year (9.93) came with illegal wind. This loss to a high school athlete, just three weeks before the Olympic Trials, is more than just bad timing; it’s a major red flag. For a guy who once clocked 9.76 and was considered the future of American sprinting, this is starting to look like a crisis of confidence. And the crazy part? Legend noticed.
But when you’re running 9.8s like it’s nothing, the track world is going to take notice no matter what. His times may have had a little wind help, but the speed? Undeniable. American track analyst and former pole vaulter Colin Waitzman summed it up best: “You’re beating Christian Coleman twice with 9.8s? The confidence has to be through the roof for a high school kid.” On his Track World News segment, he went on to say, “He false started twice… and then he ran again and it was windy anyway, but that’s crazy.”
He continued, “High schoolers are getting insane times now… We’ve seen this new generation of track athletes just taking this to another level.” 400m sprinter Noah Williams chimed in too, saying, “Absolutely, bro. That kid’s a nut.” And really, how else do you describe someone who’s making world-class pros look average? Gleaton is strong, explosive, and unbothered by the pressure. He’s not just fast, he’s fearless. Now the big question: what’s next?
Gleaton is expected to race at Nike Nationals next weekend, where the buzz around him will be off the charts. For now, we are not sure if he sticks to the U20 level or takes a shot at making the senior U.S. team. Either way, the message is clear—Maurice Gleaton has arrived. And Christian Coleman? Unless he pulls off something big at Trials, this season may be remembered more for his losses than his legacy. And sure, confidence is part of the game—but no matter how fast you’re rising, there’s a fine line between confidence and disrespect. Gleaton crossed that line by taunting a former world champion.
Tempers flare as Gleaton humiliates Christian Coleman by actions, not race
After blazing past Christian Coleman with wind-aided times of 9.87 and 9.82 seconds at the Star Athletics Sprint Series, 18-year-old Maurice Gleaton didn’t just make headlines for his speed; he set off a fiery post-race controversy. As he crossed the finish line in the final, Gleaton reportedly looked back at Coleman, a move that the veteran sprinter took as blatant disrespect. The tension exploded into a shouting match between the two, with Coleman needing to be restrained. Witnesses say Gleaton walked off, taunting, “How do you get rolled by an 18-year-old?” That moment spilled onto social media, where Gleaton posted a victory-laced Instagram story directly aimed at Coleman, turning what should’ve been a breakout athletic moment into a full-blown rivalry.
But what could’ve turned ugly ended in a surprising gesture of humility. Gleaton later issued an apology via text shared publicly by Coleman, where he expressed deep respect for both Coleman and Richardson, claiming the incident came from pure adrenaline, not disrespect. Coleman responded with class, accepting the apology and offering words of encouragement: “Reach out anytime.” Though the beef may be settled, the pressure isn’t. Coleman’s 2025 season has been anything but smooth; he remains winless outdoors, with finishes ranging from third to fifth across major meets like the Tom Jones Memorial and Xiamen Diamond League. With the Olympic Trials approaching fast, the sprint legend, Christian Coleman is now facing both rising stars and rising doubts.
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