Imagine this: One of the fastest men on the planet and the reigning queen of sprinting are set to hit the track at the same event. Christian Coleman and Sha’Carri Richardson, the sport’s power couple, headline the Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo. The buzz? Unreal. Cameras everywhere. Fans are locked in. Headlines are practically writing themselves. Everyone thought they knew how it would play out…But the boom. Out of nowhere, a 21-year-old nobody (at least to the global scene) steps up, steals the moment, and flips the script on everyone. But not once but twice!!

When 21-year-old beat Christian Coleman at the Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo, it wasn’t just a surprise, it was a game changer. Coleman, who probably hoped to impress Sha’Carri Richardson, his girlfriend and track superstar, with a big win, suddenly found himself upstaged. Hiroki Yanagita was the winner, but he didn’t just take the win; he stole Coleman’s moment and showed everyone that a new star is rising. And if that wasn’t enough, just days later, Yanagita scored another big victory. So who’s really in the spotlight now? It’s Yanagita, the same guy who won the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships 100m, and now he’s done it again. Pretty wild, right?

Fast forward to May 28, 2025, at the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea. Yanagita defended his title in a thrilling photo finish, edging out Thailand’s Puripol Boonson by just two thousandths of a second. He crossed in 10.19 seconds with a reaction time of 194 milliseconds, while Puripol was right behind at 10.19 (196). This wasn’t just a win, it was a clear sign that Yanagita belongs at the top. And remember, only 10 days earlier, he held off Christian Coleman himself at the Tokyo Golden Grand Prix with a blazing 10.06 seconds. This guy is no joke.

Looking at their records, Yanagita is currently ranked #32 in the world for the men’s 100m. He’s an Asian champion, a World U20 champion, and has made top 8 finishes at both the Olympics and World Championships. Coleman, meanwhile, is ranked #12 and has a legendary resume: world record holder, three-time world champion, three-time Diamond League Final winner, and two-time world silver medallist. Christian Coleman is a legend, no question. But Yanagita’s recent wins show the sprinting scene is changing. But how did he spoil the Colemans’ moment?

Despite the loss, Christian Coleman and Sha’Carri Richardson are not giving up

When Christian Coleman and Sha’Carri Richardson showed up at the Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo, everyone was watching. They’re not just big names on the track, they’re a couple who train together and try to balance everything happening in their lives. This season, they’re all about finding that balance between pushing hard and keeping their heads right, but that doesn’t always mean easy wins.

In the 100m for men, Coleman came in third after clocking 10.11 seconds. Japan’s Hiroki Yanagita finished in 10.06 seconds, and Christian Miller ended up second, just ahead of Coleman. Even though he was unhappy with his last race, Coleman is concentrating on improving slowly but steadily, thanks to the new coaches and routines. Also, in the same event,  Sha’Carri struggled on the track after two false starts and ended up running fourth in the women’s event, unable to reach top speed with the wind in her face. Obviously, she didn’t have the outcome she’d wanted with the first song.

Both athletes are starting off slowly for the season, as their main targets are the US trials and the World Championships. Christian Coleman is mentally preparing, while Sha’Carri tries to recover and resume her quick times. They aren’t just lovers; they motivate each other through the ups and downs of their sporting lives. Even though Tokyo didn’t work out for them, the real event is still coming in September.