Lyles energized as Tokyo memories brighten with 200m world title

Noah Lyles powered to a fourth consecutive world title in the 200 meters, matching Usain Bolt's record for the most world titles in the event, at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The American, who had endured heartbreak at Tokyo 2021 and during the Paris cycle, said he now feels energized and happy with the sport. "I can't wait for 2027 to become the only man to win five 200 metres titles," Lyles said. "I don't have good memories from Tokyo in 2021. At that time I was depressed, but this time I am energised. I love what I do and I am happy. My face is blasted everywhere over Tokyo. This is a joyous moment I am going to keep with me forever."

Lyles' win came five days after he was dethroned as world 100m champion on Sunday; Kenny Bednarek collected silver, his fourth straight runner-up finish across Olympic and world championships; Jamaica's Bryan Levell took bronze; Letsile Tebogo fourth; Britain's Zharnel Hughes fifth. In the semi-final on Thursday, Lyles posted 19.51 seconds—the fastest time of 2025—and he was just 0.01 seconds slower in the final, finishing in 19.52 seconds as he raised four fingers to the crowd.

Bednarek and Lyles have had a tempestuous relationship, almost coming to blows at the US trials when Lyles stared down Bednarek in beating him to the 200m title, to which Bednarek responded with a shove. Lyles claimed his eighth global title overall with the Tokyo win.

In the women's 400m hurdles, Femke Bol lived up to her favourite tag to retain the world title in 51.54 seconds, with American Jasmine Jones taking silver in a personal best of 52.03. Emma Zapletalova set a Slovakian national record of 53.00 to take bronze. Bol said taking a break after the Paris Olympics had helped her prepare for her successful season— as did planning her wedding. She announced her engagement to Belgian pole vaulter Ben Broeders in July and said their upcoming nuptials were "a great distraction." "As a track and field athlete you work really hard, but you also have a lot of time to rest, and it's also a nice thing to think about," she said. Bol did, however, admit she could have competed against McLaughlin-Levrone, who beat her into third place on the way to gold in Paris. "I most likely wouldn't be here with the gold medal but I really love to race her," said the 25-year-old of McLaughlin-Levrone. "She's the best athlete to ever do it in my event so I would have loved to do it, but I also love to see her do so well in the 400 metres."

Arguably the most dramatic event of Friday was the men's triple jump, in which Portugal's Pedro Pichardo emulated the gold he won at the Tokyo Olympics in phenomenal style. Pichardo led going into the final jumps with a distance of 17.55 metres – but this was spectacularly overtaken by Italy's Andrea Dallavalle. Dallavalle, only fifth in the standings up to that point, leaped a massive personal best of 17.64m to take the lead. With the women's 200m final delayed to allow the triple jump to conclude and the whole arena watching, Pichardo then jumped 17.91 metres with his final effort - the best of anyone this year. "Who's the best?" he roared down the camera in celebration. Cuba's Lazaro Martinez, who pulled up with a muscle injury during his run up for his final jump, took bronze.