Next stop: Olympics

We’re both competitive and young and we’re carrying the torch for USA sprinting.

NOAH Lyles powers the United States to an impressive performance in the World Championships. AFP

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Exit Usain Bolt, enter the United States.

As the desert dust settled on the World Championships, American sprinters were left celebrating their biggest medal haul in more than a decade.

After picking up just one gold medal in the men’s sprinting events in London two years ago, the Americans headed home with five out of a possible seven golds stowed away in their luggage.

It was the largest tally since the six sprinting gold medals won by the US in the 2007 championships in Osaka, a year before the dawn of Bolt’s decade of dominance at the Beijing Olympics.

In Doha, the US men bagged gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 110 meters hurdles before victories in the 4×100 meters and 4×400 meters relays.

More significantly, Doha confirmed the emergence of a new generation of American sprinters who will head to the Olympics in Tokyo next year as the men to beat.

Christian Coleman, the newly crowned 100 meters world champion, and Noah Lyles, the victor in the 200 meters, delivered performances in Doha that suggest they are capable of dominating for years to come.

Coleman, who narrowly avoided being banned from the championships after missing three drugs tests in a year, became the sixth fastest man in history with his 100 meters win in 9.76 seconds.

Lyles, meanwhile, surged to 200 meters gold in 19.83 seconds.

Both Coleman, 23, and Lyles, 22, have youth on their side, and are preparing to take their rivalry to a heightened level next season.

After restricting themselves to one individual event in Doha, Coleman and Lyles have vowed to chase a 100 meters and 200 meters double in Tokyo.

“We’re both competitive and young and we’re carrying the torch for USA sprinting,” Coleman said of his rivalry with Lyles.

“I think we make each other better. When I’m working hard every day, I know he’s down there in Florida grinding.”

“So whenever we match up it’s going to be fireworks. I’m looking forward to our rivalry in the future.”

Lyles, meanwhile, said reports of a rift with Coleman earlier this season had been overblown.

“We’re very competitive and very talented and we want to go out there and make the USA the best country in the world,” Lyles said.

“So every time we step on the track, whether it’s against each other or together, we’re going to give our best 100 percent.”