World Champs Men’s 200 — Lyles’ Fourth Straight Win Matches Bolt

In a third consecutive Worlds of U.S. 1-2 finishes in the 200, Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek reprised their order from Eugene ’22. (TAKASHI ITO/AGENCE SHOT)

THEY’RE COMING CLOSER, but they haven’t caught Noah Lyles yet. The 3-time winner made it 4 in a row at 200, but he had to fight for it this time, and the competition is better than ever.

It helped that Lyles’ 100 conquerors, Jamaicans Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson, weren’t entered. Instead he had to face the emerging talent of their teammate Bryan Levell, along with Kenny Bednarek. And don’t forget Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, who triumphed in Paris when Lyles was reportedly slowed by Covid.

Alexander Ogando took the first heat in 20.10. In the second, Zimbabwe’s (and Kentucky’s) Carli Makarawu ran 19.91 ahead of Courtney Lindsey’s 19.95. In the third, Bednarek hit 19.98 from lane 3. Lyles won the fourth in 19.99 ahead of Zharnel Hughes (20.07). Levell made a statement in heat 5 with his 19.84, leaving Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba well back in 20.06. Tebogo had an easy go in heat 6, comfortably taking it in 20.18. Fourth American Robert Gregory ran 20.43 and didn’t advance.

The heat built for the next day’s semis. In the first, Bednarek ran 19.88 with Ogando at 19.98. Charamba earned the distinction of being the fastest non-qualifier ever with his 20.03. Levell took the second, blistering 19.78 to crush Tebogo’s 19.95. Lindsay at 20.30 did not advance, nor did Australian Junior sensation Gout Gout at 20.36. Lyles blasted a 19.51 to beat his own 19.62 from ’22 as the fastest non-final mark ever. Hughes finished in 19.95.

For the final, Lyles drew lane 6, with Tebogo (5) to his left and Levell (7) and Bednarek (8) to his right. Levell got out best, nearly making up the stagger on Bednarek and leaving Lyles behind. He hit 100 in 10.03, with Bednarek at 10.09 and Lyles finding his stride at 10.12, ahead of Tebogo (10.17) and Hughes (10.20).

Early on the final stretch, Lyles caught Levell, but this time his top speed did not leave his pursuers in the dust. The result seemed in doubt until the final steps.

Lyles crossed in 19.52, Bednarek in 19.58, with Levell bronze in a PR 19.64 and Tebogo missing the podium at 19.65. Best-ever marks-for-place came in places 3–5 and 7–8. With a margin of just 0.06 over Bednarek, it was Lyles’ closest win ever. He matched the four wins of Usain Bolt.

Said Lyles, “I can’t wait for 2027 to become the only man to win five titles. Today, I didn’t have the start I had in the semi but I knew I was still moving fast. I knew their momentum was going to show up once we got closer to 150m but mine was going to build up after I hit that mark. Being patient was the most important thing. I controlled the race. I knew some of the guys were going to tighten up but I just stayed relaxed and got the job done.”

MEN’S 200 RESULTS

FINAL (September 19; wind 0.0)

1. Noah Lyles (US) 19.52 (x, =8 A)

(10.12/9.40);

2. Kenny Bednarek (US) 19.58

(10.09/9.49);

3. Bryan Levell (Jam) 19.64 PR

(10.03/9.61);

4. Letsile Tebogo (Bot) 19.65

(10.17/9.48);

5. Zharnel Hughes (GB) 19.78

(10.20/9.58);

6. Alexander Ogando (DR) 20.01

(10.37/9.64);

7. Carli Makarawu (Zim) 20.12

(10.35/9.77);

8. Sinesipho Dambile (SA) 20.23

(10.54/9.69).

(best-ever mark-for-place: 3–5, 7–8)

(lanes: 2. Dambile; 3. Makarawu; 4. Ogando; 5. Tebogo; 6. Lyles; 7. Levell; 8. Bednarek; 9. Hughes)

(reaction times: 0.126 Hughes, 0.136 Makarawu, 0.147 Levell, 0.149 Ogando, 0.163 Tebogo, 0.167 Lyles, 0.169 Dambile, 0.179 Bednarek)

HEATS (September 17)

I(-0.2)–1. Ogando 20.10; 2. Wayde van Niekerk (SA) 20.19; 3. Timothé Mumenthaler (Swi) 20.39; 4. Henrik Larsson (Swe) 20.40 PR; 5. Robert Gregory (US) 20.43; 6. Shota Iizuka (Jpn) 20.64; 7. Toby Harries (GB) 20.76; 8. Calab Law (Aus) 20.91.

II(-0.5)–1. Makarawu 19.91; 2. Courtney Lindsey (US) 19.95; 3. Adrian Kerr (Jam) 20.13; 4. Ryan Zeze (Fra) 20.23; 5. Aaron Brown (Can) 20.33; 6. Aidan Murphy (Aus) 20.54; 7. Emmanuel Eseme (Cam) 20.61; 8. Gediminas Truskauskas (Lit) 20.95.

III(-0.3)–1. Bednarek 19.98; 2. Udodi Onwuzurike (Ngr) 20.27; 3. Dambile 20.27; 4. William Reais (Swi) 20.38; 5. Jerome Blake (Can) 20.43; 6. Seung-hwan Ko (SK) 20.49; 7. Soshi Mizukubo (Jpn) 20.51; 8. Abdulaziz Abdou Atafi (Sau) 20.66; 9. Animesh Kujur (Ind) 20.77.

IV(0.1)–1. Lyles 19.99; 2. Hughes 20.07; 3. Christopher Taylor (Jam) 20.26 PR; 4. Andre De Grasse (Can) 20.30; 5. Eseosa Desalu (Ita) 20.43; 6. Joe Fahnbulleh (Lbr) 20.73; 7. Ian Kerr (Bah) 20.92; 8. Cesar Almiron (Par) 20.92.

V(-0.1)–1. Levell 19.84; 2. Makanakaishe Charamba (Zim) 20.06; 3. Gout Gout (Aus) 20.23; 4. Blessing Afrifa (Isr) 20.47; 5. Naeem Jack (SA) 20.65; 6. Fuseini Ibrahim (Gha) 20.66; 7. Tomáš Němejc (CzR) 20.83; 8. Omar Simpson (VI) 21.58; 9. Tovetina Timothy Tuna (PNG) 21.59.

VI(0.0)–1. Tebogo 20.18; 2. Xavi Mo-Ajok (Neth) 20.35; 3. Towa Uzawa (Jpn) 20.39; 4. Jaleel Croal (BVI) 20.46; 5. Filippo Tortu (Ita) 20.49; 6. Jose Figueroa (PR) 20.62; 7. Lidio Feliz (DR) 20.63; 8. Alham Naghiyev (Aze) 21.10; 9. Darion Skerritt (Ant) 30.18.

SEMIS (September 18)

I(-0.1)–1. Bednarek 19.88; 2. Ogando 19.98; 3. Charamba 20.03 (fastest non-qualifier ever); 4. van Niekerk 20.12; 5. Taylor 20.21 PR; 6. Uzawa 20.23; 7. Reais 20.59; 8. Brown 20.59.

II(0.0)–1. Levell 19.78; 2. Tebogo 19.95; 3. Lindsey 20.30; 4. Gout 20.36; 5. Blake 20.41; 6. Mo-Ajok 20.55; 7. Mumenthaler 20.66; 8. Zeze 20.73.

III(1.0)–1. Lyles 19.51 (WL, AL) (x, 7 A) (fastest non-final ever) (10.13/9.38);

2. Hughes 19.95; 3. Dambile 19.97 PR; 4. Makarawu 19.98; 5. Kerr 20.08 PR; 6. De Grasse 20.13; 7. Onwuzurike 20.26; 8. Larsson 20.32 PR.

Jeff Hollobaugh is a writer and stat geek who has been associated with T&FN in various capacities since 1987. He is the author of How To Race The Mile. He lives in Michigan where he can often be found announcing track meets in bad weather.

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