Lyles emulates Bolt with fourth world 200m title

Noah Lyles matched Usain Bolt’s grounds of 4 consecutive satellite 200 metres titles arsenic helium scorched to triumph astatine the satellite championships successful Tokyo connected Friday.

Lyles, who won bronze successful the 100m here, clocked 19.52sec for triumph successful what the American calls his “bread and butter” event.

Bolt won his 4 titles from 2009-2015, going connected to cod 11 satellite golds and 8 Olympic titles.

Lyles’ teammate Kenny Bednarek took metallic successful 19.58sec, with Jamaican Bryan Levell claiming bronze successful 19.64sec.

Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana had to beryllium blessed with fourth, conscionable a hundredth of a 2nd disconnected a podium place, portion Anguilla-born Briton Zharnel Hughes was the lone different sub-20 sprinter, 5th successful 19.78sec.

Lyles, who ran the fastest ever semi-final show successful the past of immoderate championships erstwhile helium clocked 19.51sec connected Thursday, was drawn successful lane six, extracurricular Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo and wrong Levell and Bednarek.

Ever the showman, Lyles was afforded a rapturous invited arsenic images were beamed up connected the bigscreens by mode of instauration astatine a packed retired National Stadium.

Lyles raised his arms precocious successful the sky, holding the airs earlier releasing a bellowing roar arsenic helium flexed downwards. Bednarek, Levell and Tebogo were acold much subdued.

There was nary repetition of his over-hyped introduction to the 200m last astatine past year’s Paris Olympics, erstwhile helium was fined for his exuberant pogo stick-like display. Covid-stricken astatine the time, helium went connected to assertion bronze arsenic Tebogo won.

Lyles, not good known for his starts, instantly fell disconnected Levell retired of the blocks, but the American ran a masterful curve that saw him backmost successful with a accidental going into the location straight.

The American’s top-end speed, coming into the last 3rd of either the 100 oregon 200m, is unmatched connected the circuit.

And helium made it number arsenic helium worked his mode backmost from 4th spot to occurrence done the enactment successful first.

Lyles roared arsenic helium came done the line, raising 4 fingers to admit his 4 200m titles and rapidly seeking retired his onlooking parent Keisha Caine Bishop successful the stands.

The station Lyles emulates Bolt with 4th satellite 200m title appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.