Noah Lyles celebrates gold in the 200 metres at the world athletics championships in Tokyo, Photo: Photosport
Noah Lyles has scorched to a fourth successive world 200 metres gold, as he delivered his trademark drive to the line to triumph in 19.52s, pipping compatriot and perennial bridesmaid Kenny Bednarek, who took silver in 19.58s.
Third in his defence of the 100m title, Lyles held four fingers in the air after crossing the line, as he matched Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt, who won four in a row from 2009-15.
As Lyles celebrated, Bednarek, who finished a painful fourth in the 100m, looked distraught, as he now has two world and two Olympic silvers in the event.
Bryan Levell took bronze in a personal best 19.64s, edging Botswanan Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, to win Jamaica's first medal in the event since Bolt's sprint double in 2015.
Lyles had a belated start to the season, as he struggled with injury, and said he tried to cram in races to get sharp for Tokyo.
He was not quite there for the 100m, where he was beaten by Jamaican duo Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson, but his season-leading 19.51s in 200m semis showed he was approaching his best.
Always the showman, Lyles arrived on Saturday (NZT), sporting a new look, with his shaggy hair bleached and bouncing. When his name was announced on the start-line, he let out a guttural roar to the sky.
Bednarek comes up short again
Once down to business, he and Bednarek knew the dance off by heart, not that the latter will be happy with his role.
Bednarek ran a powerful bend and was leading with 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10 metres to go, before Lyles swept past him yet again for gold.
"I wanted it pretty bad," said Lyles, who won bronze in the same stadium in the no-fans 2021 Olympics.
"One, because I didn't win the 100, then two, I wanted to rewrite a memory here in Tokyo, which just wasn't as good as it could be. It wasn't because of the colour of the metal, it was more because of the state of my mindset, not having the crowd.
"It's just such a blessing to have everybody come out here and you can just feel the energy. It's everything you could ever want from a crowd.
"Being patient was the most important thing tonight. I knew some of the guys were going to tighten up, but I just stayed relaxed and got the job done.
"This is amazing and such a joyous moment I am going to keep with me forever. Now I want to win the gold medal in the relay and I can't wait for 2027 to become the only man to win five 200 metres titles."
As Lyles enjoyed a leisurely lap of honour, alongside fellow American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden after her 200m win, Bednarek trudged off to face "that question" from waiting journalists.
"I don't like being second," he said. "I've been second for what, five years, six years now, so I've got to clean some things up.
"I'll look back at the tape and see what I can do to be better. Today, I did what I could muster, but it's not the best version of me.
"I'm always improving every single year, learning some new things."
Jefferson-Wooden completes sprint double
Jefferson-Wooden became the fourth woman to complete the sprint double at the world championships, with victory in the 200m in 21.68s.
The 24-year-old American ran the fastest time of the year to cap a dominant season with another gold medal to add to the one she won in the 100m on Monday.
"I came out here and I did exactly what I set out to do," she said. "Not a lot of women double anymore, so for me to come here, do the double and win gold medals just says a lot.
"I'm now looking forward to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. I definitely put a target on my back."
Britain's Amy Hunt was a distant second to earn her first individual global medal, with silver in 22.14s, while bronze went to double defending champion Shericka Jackson of Jamaica in 22.18s.
Anthonique Strachan of the Bahamas was disqualified for a false start and the race got away at the second attempt, with Jefferson-Wooden soon settling into the smooth style that has distinguished her performances this year.
Femke Bol retains 400m hurdles title
Femke Bol, centre, celebrates her 400m hurdles win at Tokyo, with silver medallist Jasmine Jones, right, and Emma Zapletalova, who was third. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Femke Bol put the seal on a fantastic season by retaining her world 400 metres hurdles title in emphatic style, as the Dutchwoman stormed home in a world-leading 51.54s.
Jasmine Jones of the US finished like a train to take silver in a personal best of 52.08s, while Emma Zapletalova got a surprise bronze in a Slovakian national record of 53.00s.
Bol won eight races in a row through the season and started her Tokyo trip by anchoring the Netherlands to silver in the mixed 4x400m relay.
In the absence of Olympic champion and world record-holder McLaughlin-Levrone, who won the 400 flat on Friday, Bol was red-hot favourite and duly delivered a textbook performance.
"We worked really hard on this and I got this pretty comfortably," Bol said. "This is my second gold medal in a row, which makes me really proud.
"This means the world to me."
Benjamin survives initial disqualification to claim 400m hurdles
Olympic champion Rai Benjamin stormed to victory in the men's 400 metres hurdles in 46.52s, finally clinching his first world championship gold medal on Friday, after two silvers and a bronze.
The 28-year-old American had a few nervous moments, after initially being disqualified for crashing into the final hurdle and affecting other athletes, as he raced for the line.
Benjamin's appeal was quickly upheld and he was restored to the top of the timesheet, with World Athletics confirming he was the champion.
Brazil's Alison Dos Santos briefly held another world title to go with his 2022 triumph, after finishing second in 46.84s, but will have to be satisfied with silver.
Qatari Abderrahman Samba took bronze in 47.06s, while Norway's world record holder Karsten Warholm, who was gunning for a fourth world title, finished fifth in 47.58s, behind Nigerian Ezekiel Nathaniel (47.11s).
Pichardo wins late gold in dramatic triple jump
Portugal's Pedro Pichardo won the world triple jump gold medal, after the most extraordinary finale, as Italy's Andrea Dallavalle thought he had snatched it with a huge final jump, only for his rival to respond with a massive 17.91m.
Returning to the site of his 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold, 2022 word champion Pichardo seemed to be cruising to a routine victory, after twice landing 17.55m jumps.
Dallavalle was sitting fifth and struggling for rhythm, but somehow got it together to land a massive personal best of 17.64m. Pichardo was unfazed, and duly delivered the longest jump this season to regain top spot and the gold medal.
"It's a city I will keep with me my whole life - Olympic champion, world champion," a beaming Pichardo said. "My father didn't let me stop - he asked me to do at least this year, 2025.
"I always say that he's the one who is going to decide when I should end up my career and this medal is for him. It will stay in his house.
"He is the person who has been working and keeping me strong mentally.
"Last year, my mind wasn't very good. I wanted to retire, but my father and coach have been helping me a lot."
- Reuters
