Doha (AFP)

An astonishing fog fills Doha's Khalifa stadium, a haven of light in the dark night of Qatar. This whitish veil was torn apart by the American Christian Coleman, implacable new world champion in the 100m marked by the doubt that surrounds it since the revelation of largesse taken with anti-doping.

At the end of a dominated end-to-end finale, Christian Coleman clocked a spectacular time (9.76), setting his personal best and becoming the 6th best performer in history.

In a reversal of roles compared to 2017, Coleman beat his compatriot defending Justin Gatlin who won silver at 37 (9.89). Canadian Andre de Grasse confirms his return to the highest level after two difficult seasons by winning bronze (9.90).

In this kind of fog that invades the Khalifa stadium when the air conditioning is turned on, to counter the heat of Qatar, Coleman simply confirmed the obvious.

Best sprinter in the straight for two years and the retreat of legend Usain Bolt, the 23-year-old American, with this first world title, had everything to take over the torch king of the sprint.

The fastest man in the world for two seasons (9.79 in 2018, 9.76 in 2019), world record holder in the 60m (6.34 in 2018), young (23), powerful but not intimidating: world athletics should rejoice of the advent of the Floridian.

- The shadow of doping -

But the light of doubt, never far away in athletics, has been flashing red since the end of August.

Three breaches of its anti-doping obligations have led the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) to launch an investigation into Coleman, threatened with a suspension of at least twelve months that has endangered his global and Olympic dreams. But Usada was wrong on the date of the first infringement and should not have opened the investigation, leaving Coleman to plead sneer and call himself a "victim".

As if to free himself, Coleman screamed his rage at the end of the race, raising his arms, staring at the camera with his bulging chest to repeat "I'm the world champion".

There remains suspicion but also this sword of Damocles: with two failures over the past year, Coleman has no right to the error until the end of March 2020 if he wants to see Tokyo.

The shadow of the doping continues to continue the 100 m: of the eight sprinters who ran in less than 10 sec 80, all except Usain Bolt have seen their name tarnished by a case (Maurice Greene and Coleman therefore never have been suspended).

Among them, the stainless Justin Gatlin (twice suspended for doping in his career) has expanded his incredible collection with a silver at 37: this is his fourth world medal on 100 m (two gold, two in silver) in addition to being Olympic champion in 2004 on the distance.

For the first time in 10 years no French was invited to the 100m final, Jimmy Vicaut having failed a little earlier Saturday in the semifinal (7th in 10.16).

Another sensation of the evening, the Jamaican Tajay Gayle was imposed to the length by exploding his personal record, passed from 8,32 to 8,69 m. He beat American Jeff Henderson (8.39m) and Cuban favorite Juan Miguel Echevarria (8.34m).

© 2019 AFP