On Friday night in Tokyo, Noah Lyles practically turned back the clock, winning the men’s 200m final at the World Athletics Championships with a time of 19.52 seconds. Thus, the American athlete made it four wins in a row in this event at the World Championships, equaling the record of the great Usain Bolt.
After winning the bronze in the 100m earlier today, Lyles, once again, didn’t leave any doubts why he refers the 200m sprint as his “bread and butter.” His teammate Kenny Bednarek was there to challenge him, taking silver with a time of 19.58, while Jamaica’s Bryan Levell completed the podium with bronze medaling in 19.64.
Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana was just a step away from the medal podium as he finished fourth in 19.65.Brought from lane six, Lyles had a classic trademark move of his pitiful start and really grabbed the home straight with big steps, passing his opponents in the last few meters.
His extremely fast top speed, no one on the circuit can match, took him from fourth place to first making a big noise among the many fans at the National Stadium.
In his iconic show of style, Lyles made the sign of the cross four times and pointed one finger to the sky to demonstrate he was the greatest and later he shared the moment with his mother in the stands. His victory is a great statement of his being the king of the 200m.
