EUGENE, Ore. (Reuters) – World champion Noah Lyles overcame Erriyon Knighton to win the men’s 200 metres in 19.67 seconds at the U.S. championships on Sunday, with Abby Steiner putting the sport on notice with back-to-back world-leading times to win on the women’s side.
Trailing Knighton coming off the turn, Lyles charged down the final stretch, before grinning and flashing a finger gun at the teenager as he broke the tape two hundredths of a second ahead on the final day of the meet in Eugene, Oregon.
“I do what it takes to win and Erriyon got the best of me on the turn – I ain’t worried about that,” said Lyles. “I said ‘I’m gonna catch him – it’s just going to take the whole rest of the 100’.”
Olympic bronze medallist Lyles denied the 18-year-old a spot on the podium in Tokyo and had clearly gotten under the youngster’s skin in Eugene.
Standing next to one another in a televised interview after the race, Knighton stormed off, saying: “I’m not finished.”
National collegiate indoor champion Steiner overcame more experienced opponents to win the women’s final in 21.77, after setting a world-leading mark of 21.80 in the semi-final earlier in the day.
“Coming off of the collegiate season, a lot of people want to put limitations on you, saying you’re going to be burnt out, but me and my coach trusted the process,” she said.
Tamara Clark was second in 21.92 and Tokyo relay silver medallist Jenna Prandini came third in 22.01.
Olympic bronze medallist Gabrielle Thomas, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, finished a surprise last and 2019 world silver medallist Brittany Brown missed out on a trip to worlds, ending up fifth.
Fan-favourite Sha’Carri Richardson suffered yet more disappointment as she failed to advance to the 200 metres final, after coming up short in the 100 metres as well.
The top three finishers in Eugene, Oregon, who met certain qualifying standards, and reigning global title-holders will compete at the world championships, which will be held in the United States for the first time from July 15 at the same track.
World leader Devon Allen secured his spot by the skin of his teeth, clinching third place in the 110 metres hurdles by just three thousandths of a second, in 13.09.
Daniel Roberts won in 13.03 and Trey Cunningham placed second in 13.08, while reigning world champion Grant Holloway opted out of the final.
Olympic champion Athing Mu took control early and survived a challenge from twice world bronze medallist Ajee Wilson down the final stretch to win the 800 metres in 1:57.16.
“It was a fast field,” said Mu, who also collected a relay Olympic gold last summer. “Ajee was right on me, I just wanted to push a little harder and get to the line.”
Wilson finished seven hundredths of a second behind and Raevyn Rogers finished third in 1:57.96.
World and Olympic silver medallist Rai Benjamin stormed to a world-leading 47.04-seconds win in the 400 metres hurdles with Trevor Bassitt and Khallifah Rosser finishing second and third, respectively.
Benjamin chopped his steps at the second hurdle but turned on the gas in the second half for a remarkable recovery after suffering with COVID-19.
“It’s been a while. This weekend was a lot on me. Feeling kind of banged up, honestly,” he said in a televised interview.
World indoor bronze medallist Bryce Hoppel clinched the men’s 800 metres in 1:44.60.
World silver medallist Emma Coburn won the steeplechase, while Courtney Wayment and Tokyo silver medallist Courtney Frerichs also booked their spot at the world championships.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Eugene, Oregon and Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
