Noah Lyles flies to 200m victory at the US Olympic trials

Gabby Thomas wins women’s 200m as Tara Davis-Woodall takes long jump crown, Chase Jackson the women’s shot and Weini Kelati beats Parker Valby and Karissa Schweizer to the 10,000m title

Noah Lyles completed a sprint double at the US Olympic Team Trials in Eugene on Saturday (June 29) when he won the 200m in 19.53 (0.5) ahead of Kenny Bednarek.

It was a meeting record for the three-time world 200m champion – surpassing Michael Johnson’s mark from 1996 – and world leading mark for the 26-year-old, who was pushed to the line by Bednarek but held his form brilliantly to come home in style.

Bednarek ran a PB of 19.59 while Erriyon Knighton was third in 19.77 in his first race for three months after having had a provisional anti-doping suspension for trenbolone lifted on the eve of the event.

After finishing fourth in the 100m, Christian Coleman found himself in that position again in the 200m after clocking 19.89.

Lyles, who won Olympic 200m bronze in Tokyo three years ago, says he now wants to go after Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19 in Paris.

Gabby Thomas won the women’s 200m in 21.81 (0.6) – the second quickest time of 2024 as she finished ahead of Brittany Brown’s 21.90 and McKenzie Long’s 21.91 with the 100m trials winner Sha’Carri Richardson fourth in 22.16.

“I’m just ecstatic,” she said. “It’s just such an amazing race.”

Weini Kelati secured selection for the women’s 10,000m with victory in 31:41.07. Close behind, NCAA champion Parker Valby pipped Karissa Schweizer with both athletes clocking 31:41.56.

Valby and Schweizer haven’t got the 30:40.00 qualifying standard for the Olympics but are likely to go to the Games via the Road to Paris rankings.

Kelati is from Eritrea but moved to the United States 10 years ago after competing at the World Under-20 Championships in Eugene at the age of 17.

Tara Davis-Woodall won the women’s long jump with a fifth-round leap of 7.00m (2.6).

Jasmine Moore was runner-up just two centimetres behind with 6.98m (1.1) with Monae’ Nichols third in 6.86m (0.2).

Chase Jackson won the women’s shot put with 20.10m from Raven Saunders’ 19.90m and Jaida Ross’s 19.60m.

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