Noah Lyles secured his fourth consecutive world title in the 200 meters event at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a blazing time of 19.52 seconds, outpacing his compatriot Kenny Bednarek who settled for silver in 19.58 seconds. Lyles’ victory marked his fourth consecutive win in the event, matching the record held by Usain Bolt. Celebrating his triumph with a new bleached hair look, Lyles displayed calmness and jubilation, pointing four fingers in the air as he crossed the finish line.
Bryan Levell claimed the bronze medal with a personal best time of 19.64 seconds, edging out Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo and securing Jamaica’s first medal in the event since Bolt’s double win in 2015.
In the women’s category, American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became the fourth woman to achieve the sprint double at the world championships by clocking 21.68 seconds. The 24-year-old American ran the fastest time of the year, adding another gold to her collection after winning the 100m event earlier in the competition.
Olympic champion Rai Benjamin triumphed in the 400m hurdles with a time of 46.52 seconds, claiming his first world championship gold medal after two silvers and a bronze. Benjamin faced a brief disqualification scare but his appeal was upheld, confirming his victory. Brazil’s Alison Dos Santos settled for silver, while Qatari Abderrahman Samba took the bronze.
Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and the United States’ Cole Hocker advanced to the final of the 5,000m event, aiming to bounce back from earlier disappointments in the competition. Ingebrigtsen overcame challenges to secure a spot in the final, while Hocker, the surprise 1,500m winner in Paris last year, displayed patience and strategic racing to progress.
Canada’s Maeliss Trapeau set a personal best time in the women’s 800-metre semifinals but did not advance to the final. The upcoming events include the decathlon featuring Canadians Damian Warner and Pierce LePage, along with the women’s shot put competition with Canada’s Sarah Mitton.