Track and field experts Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green recently provided insightful analysis of Fred Kerley’s standout performance at the Lausanne Diamond League meet. On the most recent episode of the Ready Set Go podcast on YouTube, they discussed Kerley’s excellent 200-meter race, where he finished third with a time of 19.86 seconds.
The track world was starving for more sprinting action following the Paris Olympics, and the Diamond League events met all of the supporters’ expectations. Green emphasized the importance of Kerley’s achievement, citing his third-place finish in the race.
While Letsile Tebogo, who won the race, received the most attention from the track world, the former Bahamian sprinter insisted that the three-time world champion was capable of what his Botswanan rival did.
Green then pointed out Kerley’s personal bests of 9.76 in the 100 meters and 43.64 in the 400 meters. He highlighted that the American sprinter had regained consistency and would provide a strong challenge to the other athletes in the upcoming season’s track meets.
“Listen to me man, he back on his, ‘I ain’t talking that much, just doing.’ Fred, I see you.”
Gatlin agreed with Green’s thoughts and emphasized that Kerley did not require glitz and glamor to compete well on the track – he focused on simplicity and concentration in his running while maintaining an aggressive approach.
Gatlin further expressed his astonishment with Kerley’s post-Olympic performance, saying:
“Fred, you know, I didn’t see him running 19.8, especially after a long Olympic campaign. So, him coming out and running 19.8 shows me a lot where he’s at right now, and it shows me where he’s on the right track to be where he needs to be going into next season.”
According to Gatlin, Kerley’s performance in the Lausanne Diamond League was a wake-up call for several of his rivals. The track great emphasized that once the American sprinter regained his consistency to the fullest, he would be difficult to beat in future championships.
Kerley competed in his second 200-meter race of the season in the Lausanne Diamond League. Despite competing against a formidable grid that included Tebogo, Erriyon Knighton, and other athletes, he ran a brilliant 19.86.
The 2024 season is drawing to a conclusion, but track fans have much to look forward to in 2025 as competitors like Kerley return to their consistent performance in several categories.
