US Olympic Trials 2021: 5 defining moments of Justin Gatlin's career

Justin Gatlin has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in his long sprint career. The American athlete has a decorated resume and is counted amongst the finest sprinters of all time.

Justin Gatlin had started out as a hurdler, but his coach at the University of Tennessee, Bill Webb, trained him to become a sprinter. In 2001, a young Justin started getting noticed as he bagged the titles in both 100 and 200 metres at the NCAA outdoor events.

However, that same year, the IAAF banned Justin Gatlin from international competition for two years. That was because the rising college athlete had tested positive for amphetamines. Gatlin appealed the decision, explaining in his defence that he had been taking the medication since childhood after being diagnosed with attention deficit disorder. Soon after, the IAAF reduced the ban to one year.

Justin Gatlin's career has been both fascinating and controversial. From being banned twice to being called a cheat to winning the biggest titles on the world stage, Gatlin has done and seen it all.

On that note, let us revisit the five moments that have come to define Justin Gatlin's career. Without further ado, let's get started.

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#5 2004 Olympic gold in 100 metres

A young Justin Gatlin (left) in action

After the setback of a one-year ban, Justin Gatlin decided to turn pro in 2003. That was after just two years in college. All eyes were on the Brooklyn-born sprinter as he came second at the US Olympic Trials and earned a ticket for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

It was time for redemption for Justin Gatlin, and he seemed like a man on a mission. Justin Gatlin ran a personal best of 9.85 seconds to clinch the Olympic 100 metres title.

It was just one-hundredth of a second slower than the then Olympic record. With the prestigious gold, Gatlin silenced his critics and reclaimed his prestige. Justin Gatlin also bagged a bronze medal in 200 meters and a silver with the 4 x 100 metres relay team.

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#4 2005 World Championships gold medals in both 100 metres and 200 metres

At the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, Justin Gatlin was one of the favourites, as he was the reigning Olympic champion. Asafa Powell was being regarded as his toughest competitor, but the Jamaican had to pull out because of injury.

Justin Gatlin won gold in the 100 meters event with a season-best time of 9.88 seconds. The strongly built athlete also went on to claim the 200 metres title. With the double, Gatlin became only the second man in world championships history to claim both the 100 metres and 200 metres titles at the single edition of the competition.

At the 2006 Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix, the rising sprinter initially broke the 100-metres world record after clocking 9.76 seconds. The earlier record was held by Asafa Powell (9.77 seconds). However, after a few days, the IAAF revealed that Gatlin's time was 9.766 seconds and was rounded up to 9.77 seconds, as per the regulations in place.

Justin Gatlin was on the rise after a few spectacular years. His sprint career was on a meteoric rise, and he seemed to be on the top of the world. However, his happiness proved short-lived.

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#3 2006 Doping Ban

The 2006 Doping ban dealt a severe blow to Justin Gatlin.

All his heroics in the past few months came to nothing when Justin Gatlin was handed an eight-year suspension. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed Gatlin that he had returned a positive doping test in April 2006. This time, he had tested positive for testosterone.

After the incident, Galtin told the BBC:

"I cannot account for these results, because I have never knowingly used any banned substance or authorised anyone to administer such a substance to me."

On August 22, in an unfortunate day in his career, Gatlin had to accept an eight-year ban from track and field events. Justin Gatlin avoided a lifetime ban, as he had cooperated with the doping authorities all along.

Gatlin appealed against the ban. There was some respite, as at a hearing in December 2007, an arbitration panel reduced his ban to four years.

Nevertheless, Justin Gatlin's image had been tainted, and many went on to call him a two-time drug cheat and a thug. The veteran runner lost a lot of fans and gained innumerable haters.

His subsequent comeback in the sport is a story of resurrection. Critics felt the four-year ban would mean an end to his controversial career. However, Justin Gatlin had other plans. Through sheer grit and perseverance, he made a remarkable return to the track after he became eligible to do so in 2010.

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#2 Record-breaking run in the 2015 Diamond League

After the end of his ban, Justin Gatlin took part in the Ergo World Challenge and on won the 100 metres title in 10.17 seconds. During the 2011 USA Track and Field Championships, Gatlin bagged a silver with a season's best time of 9.95 seconds. That was a positive sign, as he had managed his first sub-10 second performance in five years.

At the 2012 London Olympics, Gatlin bagged a bronze medal after clocking 9.79 seconds in the 100 metres final. He finished behind ace Jamaican runners Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. In 2013, the American defeated world record holder Usain Bolt to bag gold at the Golden Gala meet in Rome, Italy.

The year 2015 proved to be the best season in the seasoned runner's career. The veteran sprinter improved his personal best to 9.74 seconds at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix. That positioned him fifth in the list of the best 100 meters runners of all time.

The icing on the cake was his exceptional performance in the Diamond League. He set a meeting record at the Diamond League in Monaco, completing the 100 metres in 9.78 seconds. He also went on to bag the 2015 World Championships silver in Beijing.

Gatlin secured the Diamond League trophy in September and ended a memorable season on a high. He ran below 9.80 seconds in 2015 on a mind-boggling five occasions - a single-season record that still stands.

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#1 Becoming the 2017 World Champion in 100 metres

Justin Gatlin (middle) at the World Athletics Championships London 2017

Justin Gatlin bagged silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics with a timing of 9.89 seconds.

However, the veteran runner stamped his authority one more time when be became the 2017 World Champion. Against all odds, Gatlin defeated Usain Bolt to bag the gold with a timing of 9.92 seconds. Gatlin's American teammate Christian Coleman got silver, while Bolt had to settle for the bronze.

The world title came 12 long years after he had first won it in 2005. The crowd booed Gatlin, as it was crowd-favourite Usain Bolt's last World Championships. However, Bolt was all praise for Justin Gatlin. Speaking to The Guardian, Bolt said:

"I always respected him as a competitor. He’s one of the best I have faced. For me he deserves to be here; he’s done his time, and he’s worked hard to get back to being one of the best athletes. He’s run fast times; he’s back, and he’s doing great. I look at him like any other athlete, as a competitor."

Two years later, Gatlin went on to claim a silver medal at the 2019 World Athletics Championships. Gatlin, along with his fellow American runners Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles and Michael Rodgers, bagged gold in the 4 x 100 metres relay. The quartet set a new American record after completing the race in 37.10 seconds.

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The last attempt

A sprint athlete's career is usually short, as age becomes a factor soon. However, Justin Gatlin is someone who continues to defy age. Now, the 39-year-old will look to give it his all at the US Olympic Trials 2021, as it would realistically be his last chance to win a ticket to the Olympics.

After enduring two doping bans, Justin Gatlin was never the favourite among fans. However, the love for the sport continues to drive him and push him to persevere. It would be interesting to see if he is able to make it to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.