Noah Lyles produced a dominating performance to retain his 200 metres title in 19.31 seconds at the World Championships on Thursday, becoming the third-fastest athlete of all time over the distance and leading a second American sprint podium sweep.
Tokyo bronze medallist Lyles led at the halfway point and exploded through the finish, with compatriots Kenny Bednarek (19.77) and 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton (19.80) battling out of the turn and down the straight for silver and bronze.
Lyles ripped open his shirt after the finish as the home crowd in Eugene, Oregon, roared with approval, and offered an embrace to rival Knighton.
“Today is my day – I finally got to do what I dreamed of,” he said on track after breaking four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson’s national record, which had stood since 1996. “I got my whole family here,”
Lyles’ time was initially displayed as 19.32, which would have tied Johnson’s record. However, it was then updated to an official 19.31 when his back was turned, with the 25-year-old clearly stunned when he noticed the new figure on the clock.
Lyles hopped on the back of World Championships mascot Legend and rode across the track after the podium ceremony inside Hayward Field to the delight of the fans.
Thursday’s race was the second 1-2-3 for U.S. men in Eugene after Fred Kerley, Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell swept the 100m. It is the first time any country has swept the two men’s sprints in the same year at the worlds.
