The 2025 Wanda Diamond League season kicks off with a star-studded men’s 100m race in Xiamen, where American sprinter Christian Coleman returns to the scene of his 2023 triumph. Coleman, who blazed to victory here in 9.83 seconds two years ago, is seeking a resurgence after a mixed start to his season.
After capturing the world 100m title in Doha in 2019 and securing two world indoor crowns in Birmingham 2018 and Glasgow 2024, Coleman faced a disappointing 2024 season that saw him miss out on qualifying for the Olympic Games in Paris. However, the 28-year-old sprinter remains resolute about his potential.
In a press conference at the Xiamen Diamond League, Coleman is confident in his ability to bounce back.
“I knew I didn’t perform to the capabilities I know I’m capable of,” Coleman admitted.
“I feel like I’ve been selling myself short and, before I walk away, I want to see what my full potential is.”
The American sprinter opened his 2025 outdoor season with a third-place finish in the men’s 100m at the Tom Jones Memorial meet in Gainesville, clocking 10.06 seconds. He trailed behind rising star Christian Miller, an 18-year-old American sprinter who secured the runner-up spot.
While Coleman’s time was far from his personal best, he contributed to a solid 4x100m relay performance, helping his team win in an impressive 37.90 seconds. This weekend’s race in Xiamen offers a crucial opportunity for Coleman to build momentum ahead of the peak championship season in July.
Coleman set to face elite challengers from across the globe. Among his fiercest rivals is South Africa’s Akani Simbine, a consistent force in the sprints who recently bagged a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing with a 60m time of 6.53 seconds. Simbine clocked a personal best of 9.82 last season and began his 2025 campaign with a world-leading 9.90 in Gaborone.
Also in the mix is Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, the new Olympic 200m champion. Tebogo made history in Paris by lowering his African record to 19.46 in the 200m and set a 100m personal best of 9.86 in the Olympic final. Last season, the 21-year-old dazzled across the Diamond League circuit with victories in Rome, Monaco, and Zurich. Tebogo is targeting his first Diamond League trophy and begins his 2025 campaign with back-to-back 100m races in Xiamen and Shanghai.
Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest man with a continental record of 9.77, will also line up in Xiamen. Omanyala finished second to Simbine in Gaborone earlier this month, clocking 10.00 seconds.
Great Britain’s Jeremiah Azu, arrives in Xiamen following a stellar indoor season where he claimed gold at both the European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn and the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing with a European-leading time of 6.49 seconds in the 60m.
Australia’s Kennedy Lachlan will also feature after claiming world indoor silver in 6.50 seconds and winning the 200m at the Continental Tour Gold meeting in Melbourne with a time of 20.26 seconds.
Completing the world-class line-up is a cast of accomplished sprinters, including Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon, who placed sixth at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and secured victories at Diamond League meetings in Marrakesh and Stockholm.
Japan’s Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, a world finalist and 4x100m relay medallist, adds further depth, alongside Jamaica’s national champion Rohan Watson, who boasts a personal best of 9.91 and a world championship bronze from Budapest.
China’s Xie Zhenye, with a career-best of 9.97 and an Olympic 4x100m relay bronze, will be the home crowd’s favourite.