Said and done.
American Noah Lyles declared in July that he had his sights set on becoming the first man to win the 100 meters and 200 meters at the World Athletics Championships since the legend Usain Bolt in 2015 and on Friday in Budapest, he did it.
Lyles won his third straight 200m world championship in 19.52 seconds, days after a surprise gold medal in the 100 meters. Fellow American Erriyon Knighton was silver medalist in 19.75 seconds and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo was bronze medalist in 19.81.
The 26-year old Lyles was the favorite coming into the race and won comfortably over the fastest field ever assembled — the average personal best of the eight man who took part is 19.66 seconds.
Earlier this summer, Lyles ran in Jamaica with Bolt in attendance; the two embraced trackside after the race and Bolt, who was definitely a showman in his time, told Lyles to keep being himself because the sport needed Lyles’ personality. He now joins Bolt as the only three-time World gold medalists in the men’s 200m.
Sha’Carri Richardson, who had a joyous 100 meter championship win on Monday and was also trying for the 100-200 double, fell short of that but has nothing to hang her head over.
Richardson’s challenge in the 200 was tougher; she was a medal contender but not the favorite with reigning world titlist Shericka Jackson of Jamaica and American Gabby Thomas in the final and holding better times this season.
Jackson stormed to a huge win, her 21.41 seconds not just the world championship record but the second-fastest time ever and the largest margin of victory in the event at Worlds since Allyson Felix in 2007. Jackson’s time stirred talk of her challenging Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 seconds that has stood for 35 years.
Thomas, who was injured and unable to run at Worlds last year, claimed silver in 21.82 seconds, and Richardson was bronze medalist in a personal-best time of 21.92 seconds.
