Usain Bolt’s Olympics successor is here and it’s scary for the rest of the world

An American star has put the world on notice with a blistering run that marks him as the man to be feared at the Tokyo Olympics.

Trayvon Bromell blasted to victory in the 100m at the US Olympic track and field trials on Monday (AEST), sealing his ticket to Tokyo with a wire-to-wire win in 9.80 seconds.

The 25-year-old from Florida, who has made a remarkable return to form this year after a career ravaged by injuries, exploded out of the blocks and took an early lead to claim an impressive win at Hayward Field.

Ronnie Baker was second in 9.85sec with Fred Kerley third in 9.86sec. Justin Gatlin meanwhile failed in his quest to make a fourth Olympic Games at the age of 39, coming home in eighth place in 10.87sec.

Bromell’s renaissance this year comes after a career that had been blown off course by a catalogue of injuries.

Trayvon Bromell, crosses the finish line in the Men's 100m final at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials.

He exploded onto the athletics scene in 2015, when he ran a personal best time of 9.84sec for the 100m before his 20th birthday — the fastest time ever run by a teenager over the distance — before later claiming a bronze at that year’s World Championships in Beijing.

He won gold in the 60m at the World Indoor championships in Portland in 2016, but suffered disappointment at the Rio Olympics that year, only finishing in eighth place in the final won by Usain Bolt.

He later suffered a torn achilles in the final of the 4x100m relay, leaving the stadium in a wheelchair — the start of an injury nightmare that saw him miss two full years of competition.

However, he has been in scintillating form in 2021, and earlier this month clocked the fastest time in the world this year of 9.77sec.

He will head to Japan as hot favourite for the 100m.

It puts him as the clear successor to Usain Bolt’s stranglehold on the men’s 100m event with the Jamaican achieving the freakish feat of three consecutive 100m gold medals, dating all the way back to the Beijing Games in 2008.

Trayvon Bromell is the real deal.

Finally, for the first time since Athens in 2004, there will be a new king sitting on Bolt’s throne.

Bromell, however, warned there was no danger of him becoming overconfident heading into the Olympics.

“I feel with confidence sometimes comes complacency,” he said. “I come from the hood, nothing was easy for me, and so every time I go to training I feel I have everything to lose.

Olympic legend books ticket to Tokyo

Allyson Felix punched her ticket to a fifth Olympic Games at the US track and field trials in Oregon on Monday.

The 35-year-old Felix, the only woman in history to win six Olympic track gold medals, produced a signature display to snatch second in the 400m at Hayward Field and clinch her place at next month’s Tokyo Games.

“The Sixers will obviously explore the Ben Simmons trade market in the off-season … as seen in January when Simmons was the centrepiece of Philadelphia’s James Harden pursuit,” Stein said.

Felix, who resumed her track and field career two years ago after life-threatening complications arising from the premature birth of her daughter, looked to be fading out of contention coming down the stretch.

But the 13-time World Championship gold medallist dug deep to reel in the field and claim second place, a result which was greeted with the loudest roar of the night.

“Man, it has been a fight to get here and one thing I know how to do is fight, and I just did that all the way home,” said an elated Felix, whose time of 50.02 seconds was her fastest in the event since 2017.

Quanera Hayes — another returning mother — won in 49.78sec while Wadeline Jonathas claimed the other ticket to Tokyo after coming third in 50.03.

Felix, who will retire after next month’s Olympics, said she hoped her qualification would send a message to other mothers.

“I think society tells us a lot of times if you have a child your best moments are behind you but that’s absolutely not the case,” Felix said.

Elsewhere Sunday, Michael Norman won the 400m to clinch his first Olympic ticket, winning in 44.07sec. Michael Cherry was second in 44.35sec while Randolph Ross was third in 44.74sec.

In the women’s 100m hurdles, world record holder Keni Harrison made up for her 2016 trials heartache after a convincing victory in 12.47sec.

Harrison was the favourite for Olympic gold in 2016 but failed to qualify for the Rio Games at the trials where she finished sixth in the final.

Brianna McNeal, who won gold in Rio in Harrison’s absence, finished second in Sunday’s final with a time of 12.51sec.

Christina Clemons was third in 12.53sec.

McNeal’s participation at this week’s trials is shrouded in controversy. The 29-year-old is facing a five-year suspension for an anti-doping rules violation, and was only allowed to compete in Eugene because she is awaiting a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

McNeal, who served a one-year suspension in 2016 after three whereabouts violations, could be kicked off the team if she loses her appeal, which is expected to be heard sometime in the next few weeks.

McNeal said the uncertainty surrounding her Olympic participation did not tarnish Sunday’s result.

“I can celebrate,” McNeal said. “I’m just happy that I had the opportunity to compete here. It’s been a long journey so for the next few weeks I’m just gonna pray.”