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Noah Lyles will pursue the Olympic sprint double in Paris after he won the men’s 200 metres at the US trials in 19.53 seconds on Saturday, the fastest time of the year, as Gabby Thomas put on another flawless performance to win the women’s race.
Kenny Bednarek got off to a speedy start and looked as though he would pull off an upset with 50 metres to go but double world champion Lyles picked up the pace in a thrilling sprint to the finish.
Lyles crossed the line 0.06 seconds ahead of Tokyo silver medallist Bednarek, while Erriyon Knighton took third in 19.77.
Lyles, who won the men’s 100m last week on Sunday, promised the trio would give international challengers a run for their money at the Paris Games.
“USA is the USA,” Lyles said in televised remarks. “We don’t give anything – you’ve got to take from us.”
Thomas put on a clinical performance on the women’s side in 21.81 seconds, the second-fastest time of the year, while Sha’Carri Richardson’s hopes for an Olympic double were dashed when she finished fourth.
Tokyo bronze medallist Thomas left no doubt that the U.S. title was hers as she grabbed the lead off the turn, leaving Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long to battle with Richardson for the last two spots on the podium.
Richardson, who won the 100m a week earlier, could not match their intensity and ran out of steam down the home stretch, crossing the finish in 22.16 as Brown (21.90) and Long (21.91) each booked a spot in their first Games.
“I’m just ecstatic,” said Thomas, who set a new world lead in Friday’s semi-final. “Just such an amazing race.”
Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone advanced to the 400m hurdles final with new a world lead of 52.48, jogging across the finish 1.68 seconds ahead of her rival, Rio gold medallist Dalilah Muhammad.
Alaysha Johnson had the fastest time of the 100m hurdles semi-final heats in 12.36, as Tokyo silver medallist Keni Harrison (12.52) and 2019 world champion Nia Ali (12.55) also advanced. — Reuters.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge