The world of sprinting is witnessing the rise of a formidable new contender as Anavia Battle continues to make waves in the 2025 season. The American sprinter has caught the attention of Olympic champion Justin Gatlin, who believes she could disrupt the dominance of established stars like Shericka Jackson, Gabby Thomas, and Sha’Carri Richardson.
Reigning world 200m champion Shericka Jackson, Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas, world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson, and Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred have dominated headlines in recent seasons. However, the emergence of Anavia Battle threatens to shake up the sprinting hierarchy, with the young American making a statement through her impressive early-season performances.
Battle’s rise began in emphatic fashion after a successful trip to China, where she stunned the sprinting world by clinching victories in both her races. She notably defeated Shericka Jackson at the Diamond League Meeting in Xiamen, before following it up with a dominant win in the 200m at the Shanghai leg of the series.
Speaking on his Ready Set Go podcast, Justin Gatlin was full of praise for Battle, commending her ability to perform despite facing several obstacles.
“Listen, she got through the gauntlet, she came out on top and dropped a 22.38 on the other side of the world,” Gatlin noted.
“If you’re able to go out there and battle through different nutrition and extreme jet lag, cause you are going to China to drop a nice time like that, it means she is on a roll. Wherever she goes next, it’s not going to be as far as China, I guarantee that, so she is going to be ready to run.”
The 2004 Olympic 100m champion went further to suggest that Battle should consider signing up for the Grand Slam Track, a high-profile series that would pit her against the sport’s elite. Gatlin believes Battle’s current form would make her a serious contender in both the 100m and 200m races.
“That is somebody I would love to see in the Grand Slam because the way she is moving in the 100m and dropping times in the 200m, she will be a very formidable opponent and a very threatening challenger,” Gatlin added.
The next leg of the Grand Slam Track is set to take place from May 30 to June 1 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, offering Battle another opportunity to cement her status among sprinting’s best.
