Gatlin won the silver medal in the 100m final at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in an attempt to defend his world title. His time of 9.89s was .13 seconds behind his teammate Christian Coleman, who won gold in 9.76 seconds. At 37 years, 230 days, Gatlin became the oldest sprinter to win a medal in the men’s 100 metres at the World Athletics Championships. At the same World Championships, Gatlin was part of the American team who won gold in the 4 x 100 metres relay, the first time he had won the event in his career at World Championships. The American quartet, consisting of Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles, Michael Rodgers and Gatlin, ran a time of 37.10, the fastest-ever by an American team, breaking the previous American record of 37.38 set at the 2012 London Olympics.