Lyles blasts into 200m final with 19.51 seconds

TOKYO : Noah Lyles showed that he is still the man to beat over 200 metres when the three-times world champion scorched to a huge world-leading 19.51 seconds in his semi-final on Thursday.

It sets up a mouth-watering Friday final with fellow American Kenny Bednarek and Jamaican Bryan Levell, who were similarly impressive but, unlike Lyles who ran hard through the line, turned the burners off 50 metres out.

Lyles, third in the 100m on Sunday after a delayed start to his season, looked relaxed on the start line of his preferred event, as a cool breeze and light drizzle made conditions much more gentle than in the oppressive previous days.

Going in the third of three heats, he clearly decided that he wanted to lay down a marker – and get the best final lane – by going out hard.

"I surprised myself," Lyles said. "I kind of backed up a little bit as we got to the last 20 metres but I'm going to put on a whole race in the final.

"When I got up after the first 50 metres, I thought I heard Zharnel (Hughes of Britain) running along and I said to myself, 'You ain't catching me'. The message today was that they can't beat me.

"I knew I was running fast when I exited the curve but I didn't expect 19.51. I was expecting 19.60 or 19.70. Don't miss the final, it's going to be magical."

BEDNAREK FUELLED BY ANGER

Bednarek is fuelling himself on the anger of finishing fourth in the 100 after qualifying so well. With two Olympic 200m silvers and another from the 2022 world championships he is well overdue an appearance on the top step.

Bednarek’s run was a carbon copy of his heat as he blasted the bend then settled for a controlled cruise home to clock 19.88, a tenth faster than in the heat.

Despite the impressive showings by the U.S. duo, Levell