SAINT-DENIS, France — Like just about everyone who has spent even the slightest bit of time at Stade de France during the Olympic track meet, Sebastian Coe has basically been blown away by the power, depth and white-hot speed of the American track and field team.
Men and women, distance and sprints, jumps, throws, combined events, doesn’t matter. The Americans are picking up medals just about everywhere. They are arguably the greatest national track team ever assembled, and among the biggest stars of the show for a Team USA contingent that does not lack for star power with the likes of Stephen Curry and LeBron James on it.
Coe, a two-time Olympic champion from Great Britain in the 1980s who now leads World Athletics, the sport’s international governing body, knows how this came about, beyond the advantages of wealth and population that the U.S. has.
“That is really a testament to the college system, good college coaching,” said Coe, speaking just before American runners and jumpers won eight medals, three of them gold, in about 90 mad minutes Thursday night.
Coe knows track and field inside and out. He is also close with countless top athletes in his sport and others. He knows the global sports landscape as well as anyone. “The quality of coaching now coming out of…
