By Amy Tennery
EUGENE, Ore. (Reuters) – A highly anticipated showdown between reigning winner Noah Lyles and 18-year-old sensation Erriyon Knighton is set for the World Championships, after the two Americans produced blazing-fast times to win their semi-finals.
Lyles was simply flawless, holding off compatriot Kenny Bednarek down the final stretch in the fastest time of the day at 19.62 seconds to reach Thursday’s final at the speedy Hayward Field track.
“I am exactly where I wanted to be because I got the win,” said Lyles. “My coach told me to get out a little bit of the beast today. So I am going to let out the whole thing.”
Knighton made easy work of his heat, finishing a few metres clear of the rest of the field after an explosive start, leading to a time of 19.77 seconds.
The two top contenders arrived in Eugene, Oregon, with unfinished business, after the jocular Lyles denied the stoic Knighton, who has produced the fastest time this year, a spot on the podium as the bronze medal-winner in Tokyo.
There was no love lost between the pair as Lyles ran down his young compatriot to win the national championships last month also at Hayward.
Still catching his breath from leading an American clean sweep of the 100 metres final on Saturday, Fred Kerley’s hope of a sprint double ended as he finished sixth in his heat.
The 100m Olympic silver medallist was off the pace coming off the turn and slowed down the final stretch, grimacing in pain through the finish line.
“I had a cramp but that is a part of the game,” he told reporters. “Still have got the rest of the season. No impact, I am good.”
There was still hope of another sprint sweep for the home crowd at Eugene, Oregon, however, as Olympic silver medallist Bednarek advanced on an automatic qualification.
Alexander Ogando, who helped the Dominican Republic pick up gold in the 4x400m mixed relay on Friday, also moved on along with Canadian Aaron Brown.
Brown’s compatriot Andre De Grasse, the Olympic champion who took silver at the worlds three years ago, withdrew from the 200m after failing to qualify for the 100m final on Saturday.
Another notable absence from the semi-final round was Jamaican Yohan Blake, the all-time second-fastest in the 200m, who pulled out because of a swollen foot.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Eugene, Oregon, additional reporting by Gene Cherry; editing by Christian Schmollinger)
