Coleman, Crouser close to world records in U.S. champs

World record holder Christian Coleman equalled the second-fastest 60m ever and Olympic champion Ryan Crouser narrowly missed the indoor shot put world record at the U.S. championships in New Mexico on Saturday.

Coleman, the Tokyo Olympics 100m favorite, clocked 6.37 seconds, just 0.03 seconds off his world record.

Another sluggish start hampered his chance to break the record he set on the same track two years ago at high-altitude Albuquerque where the rarified air helps sprinters and slows distance runners.

“I think I can execute my start a lot better,” the 23-year-old world indoor and outdoor champion told NBC Sports.

“Even my top-end speed. We haven’t worked on it a lot so in the next coming weeks I think that gives me a lot of confidence going into outdoors,” added Coleman, whose mid-race speed enabled him to beat runner-up Marvin Bracy by more than a tenth of a second.

Crouser showed he will be the favorite for another gold medal with his massive heave of 22.60m.

Only American Randy Barnes has thrown farther, going 22.66m for his 1989 world record.

“Even surprised myself a little bit,” said Crouser of the big throw on his fourth attempt.

Mikiah Brisco won the women’s 60m in 7.04 seconds to equal the season’s best that Javianne Oliver set in the semi-finals and Sandi Morris outdueled Jenn Suhr in the women’s pole vault.

World silver medalist Morris cleared 4.90m on her third attempt with world indoor record holder Suhr making 4.85m.

Olympian Shelby Houlihan added the 1,500m title (4:06.41) to the 3,000m crown she won on Friday to give her 13 national championships.

Elsewhere Aaron Mallett clocked 7.54 seconds to win the men’s 60m hurdles and world bronze medallist Ajee Wilson took women’s 800m in 2:01.98.