August 25, (THEWILL) – American sprinter, Noah Lyles, cemented his place in track and field history on Friday, capturing gold in the men’s 200 metres final at the World Athletics Championships in dominant fashion.
Lyles blitzed to victory in 19.52 seconds, beating out runners-up Erriyon Knighton of the U.S. (19.75) and Letsile Tebogo of Botswana (19.81). He becomes the first male sprinter since Usain Bolt in 2015 to complete the 100m/200m sprint double at Worlds. He joins an exclusive club of just five men ever to achieve the feat.
The 25-year-old star dominated the race from the start, exploding out of the blocks and never looking back down the home stretch. While Lyles owns the world’s third fastest 200m time ever at 19.31 seconds, he was unable to challenge Bolt’s revered world record of 19.19 on Friday. Still, the commanding victory underscored Lyles’ prowess and cemented his status as the world’s top men’s sprinter.
It also marked a redemption of sorts for the American after disappointment at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes (20.02) and Kenny Bednarek of the U.S. (20.07) rounded out the top five finishers on Friday. Reigning Olympic 200m champion Andre De Grasse of Canada placed sixth in 20.14 seconds.
With the 200m gold now in hand, Lyles will look to complete a rare World Championship triple crown in the 4x100m relay on Saturday. If named to the U.S. squad, he would have the chance to add to his illustrious 2022 World Championships haul.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
