Los Angeles (AFP)
Eight reigning world champions, as well as new sprint star Christian Coleman and former glory Allyson Felix, are among the 141 athletes selected by the American Federation for the Doha Worlds (September 27-October 6).
Coleman, a time threatened with suspension for failure to meet its anti-doping localization obligations, before being finally cleared by the US anti-doping agency (Usada), will line up as expected in favorite on 100 and 200 m.
In the straight, the author of the best world performance of the year at Stanford (9 sec 81) will be rival his fellow countryman and world champion Justin Gatlin, also selected.
Seven other athletes will be able to defend their crown in Qatar: the sprinter Tori Bowie who won the women's 100m and 4x100m in London, Kori Carter on 400m hurdles, Emma Coburn on 3000m steeple, Sam Kendricks on pole, Brittney Reese in long jump, Christian Taylor triple jump and Phyllis Francis on 400 m.
Allyson Felix, dethroned two years ago by the latter and who failed to qualify for the distance to Doha, was nevertheless selected by his Federation to compete in the relay 4x400 m.
The six-time Olympic gold medalist, 33, who returned to competition this summer after 13 months of absence to give birth to a baby girl, will try to add a 12th gold medal to her impressive collection.
After failing at the US championships, Felix said that she felt "fit and able to help the team" in Doha, but that her selection should only be based on merit.
Sprinter Noah Lyles, who will compete against Christian Coleman in the 200m, Ajee Wilson in the women's 800m, and Michael Norman in the 400m, winners of the Diamond League this year, are other medal hopes for the United States, which will try to do as well as in 2017 when they had won 30 medals including 10 gold.
© 2019 AFP