Hughes faces tough task against 100m favourite Coleman

DOHA: Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes admits he has work to do to win a World Championships medal as Christian Coleman underlined his favourite tag.

American Coleman is expected to take the 100m title in Doha on Saturday and sent out a warning in the heats. He was the only man to go under 10 seconds on the opening day on Friday, winning the final heat in 9.98 seconds.

European champion Hughes, who was joined in the semi-finals by GB team-mates Adam Gemili and Ojie Edoburun, clocked 10.08 seconds. He said: “I’m happy I got through, that’s the main aim and that’s what I came here to do — get through the rounds and onto the semi-finals. I’m feeling well. As long as I get it together I know I’ll be fine. I know the start wasn’t that amazing. I’ll work on it. I have to find my setting on that block because it’s a bit different from what I’m using. Once I find it, I’ll be fine.”

Defending champion Justin Gatlin, Jamaica’s Yohan Blake and Canada’s Andre De Grasse all went through to the semis. American Coleman, the fastest man in the world this year, arrived under a cloud after initially being charged with missing three drugs tests, which he denied. It carried an automatic one-year ban but USADA withdrew the charge after guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency. IAAF president Lord Coe also defended Coleman after criticism from Michael Johnson.

It was a low-key start to the Championships with 11,804 fans watching the first session. The capacity of the stadium is 40,000 but it has been reduced for the athletics. Dina Asher-Smith was to start her bid for glory in the 100m heats.