Fred Kerley leads US sweep in men's 100-meter final at track

Fred Kerley has always been a bit of an anomaly in the showboating, trash-talking world of professional sprinting. As he enters the blocks, he doesn't thump his chest.

[{"selector":"#anim-c2493448-1841-4eea-a42c-c7fb78865d4f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-44.449013146349394%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Carey barely made it to the finish line to win his first world championship in the men's 100 m final at Hayward Field,

[{"selector":"#anim-37237f7d-1837-4e1f-848a-a6e69789fe2b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] The 27-year-old Kerley finished in 9.86 seconds, shaving two hundredths off his time from the Tokyo finals the previous summer. In 9.88, Marvin Bracy won silver.

[{"selector":"#anim-4d0fe463-4bb8-492d-990e-2892c26121ca [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.6240601682930276%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] After the race, Kerle told reporters, "It's fantastic to do this on home soil with the home crowd behind us." "A clean slate is a tremendous blessing.

[{"selector":"#anim-5ea1430e-d61c-440b-9b15-43791e4ed6b4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(8.783922392524623%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Instead, the Texas native ended up finishing second to Italian Marcell Jacobs, earning him the title of highest-placing American in the competition.

[{"selector":"#anim-31468d3e-773a-4d68-9657-46f446c17d08 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-48.889802656553236%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] This week, Kerle was asked at a pre-event news conference if he had a chance to dismiss his opponents.

[{"selector":"#anim-1be33212-dde8-4fc2-a0fb-b3653f6dc814 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] He declared, "I believe in myself first and foremost." "I worked hard to achieve greatness. I don't enter the race hoping to place second."

[{"selector":"#anim-21cf66f0-921c-4027-a479-35288e1a463a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] According to NBC analyst Ato Boldon, Kerley lacks some of the modern sports stars' flamboyant personalities and showmanship, such as Usain Bolt.