200 m sprint show in Eugene: The American Noah Lyles successfully defended his world title with a gala performance. Jamaican Shericka Jackson set the second-fastest time in history in her gold run.
In the end, the jersey had to believe it. When the corrected 19.31 seconds for Noah Lyles lit up on the scoreboard, the 25-year-old went completely nuts and celebrated his triumph to the fullest. So far only world record holder Usain Bolt (19.19) and his Jamaican compatriot Yohan Blake (19.26) have been faster.
Lyles triumphed ahead of his compatriots Kenneth Bednarek (19.77) and Erriyon Knighton (19.80). The 18-year-old Knighton became the youngest sprinter to win a World Championship medal over this distance. As in the 100 m, the Americans achieved a triple victory in their home game.
Tommie Smith and John Carlos as guests of honor
The legendary 200m runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos attended the race as guests of honor. Olympic champion Smith and third-placed Carlos raised their black-gloved fists in the air on the podium at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City – the symbol of the US civil rights movement Black Power.
Tommie Smith (centre) and John Carlos (right) make a mark with their fists
Jamaican Jackson rushes to gold
They were also previously allowed to enjoy the performance of Shericka Jackson. Like Lyles, the Jamaican stormed to the undisputed 200m world title and shattered Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record. The 28-year-old won in 21.45 seconds and with the second-best time ever achieved was only eleven hundredths above the 34-year-old record of the American, who died in 1998.
Silver for Fraser-Pryce
Behind Jackson, world 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took silver in 21.81, missing out on the World Championship double. She last achieved this herself in 2013. Jackson had finished second in the 100m final. British title holder Dinah Asher-Smith (22.01) took bronze. Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah (Jamaica) was only seventh (22.39).