Lyles makes smooth start to 200m bid

TOKYO :Noah Lyles began his bid for a fourth successive world 200 metres title in relaxed fashion on Wednesday when he cruised through his heat in 19.99 seconds.

However, fellow Americans Kenny Bednarek and Courtney Lindsey, and Botswana's Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo posted reminders that he will have to earn that medal.

Lyles, who got bronze in the 100 metres as Jamaican Oblique Seville took his title, looked relaxed before, during and after his heat.

"The body is feeling good and definitely waking up," he said. "The goal here was to blast through the first 100m and I got that done.

"I knew I had the race under control and decided not to push too much because I still have two more runs. When I get to the final I don't know. I guess we will have to see."

BEDNAREK DESPERATE FOR 200M MEDAL

Bednarek, whose 19.67 is second only to Lyles’s 19.63 on the year’s rankings, is desperate to medal in the 200 after finishing fourth in the 100 and taking 200m silvers twice at the Olympics and in the 2022 world championships.

He ran a superb bend on Wednesday and cruised the last 50 metres to clock 19.98, while Lindsey also looked impressive in 19.95.

"I ran the bend well, got the lead," he said. "I'm confident, I’m in really good shape.

"I don't do much trash talking but it's definitely intense in the 200m, that's all I am going to say about it - it's a dog fight out there.

"The medal is not going to be given to me. I have to work for it. I know I have it in me. This is the best I have ever felt. In the 100m, I had two little hiccups which put me out of contention. But I am ready for the 200m now."

Tebogo, who was disqualified for a false start in the 100m this week, dealt comfortably with his lane nine draw to win the final heat in 20.18.