Lyles wins Tebogo rematch, Wanyonyi tops high class 800m at Monaco Diamond League

MONACO :American Noah Lyles made an impressive season debut in the 200 metres to beat Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Friday, where Kenyan Emmanuel Wanyonyi outclassed a high-class 800 metres field.

An injury-hampered campaign had raised doubts over three-times world 200m champion Lyles's chances of defending his title in Tokyo in September, but the 100m Olympic gold medallist responded to the doubters in style.

Lyles finished third over 200m in Paris last year but shortly after finishing the race won by Botswana's Tebogo the American said he had COVID-19, and the pair had not faced each other since then.

Tebogo was quick out of the blocks and stuck with Lyles around the bend with the two side by side going into the home straight but the American pulled away in the final 50 metres to win in 19.88 seconds with Tebogo coming home in 19.97.

"I put myself in the fire for that one coming back against Tebogo," Lyles said.

"I didn't feel any pressure, I don't see any reason to put pressure on myself, that's what we love to do."

As defending champion, Lyles does not need to worry about qualifying from the U.S. championships at the end of July, and will head to London to compete in the 100m next week.

"I am going to go to the London Diamond League. I have been missing to compete for the last few weeks.

"I was watching Prefontaine and I wanted to be there but we wanted first to make sure that I am healthy and fully able to compete."

WANYONYI PUSHING FOR WORLD RECORD

The highly anticipated men's 800m, which featured all eight Olympic finalists from Paris, was expected to threaten David Rudisha's world record of 1:40.91 which has stood since 2012.

Olympic champion Wanyonyi hit the front down the back