USA Track and Field Championships 2023: Erriyon Knighton bags national title in 200m with U20 world record

Erriyon Knighton, the 2022 World 200m bronze medallist, broke the under-20 World record in the men's 200m final Sunday (9 July) at the 2023 U.S. Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. He ran a 19.72 time.

"It was a very good race. I came here and execute right," said Knighton, 19, on U.S. broadcaster NBC.  "We got us a good squad going over there [to Worlds]. We gonna try to make the same thing happen as last year and get the sweep."

Kenny Bednarek was second at 19.82, followed by Courtney Lindsey at 19.85. Reigning 100m world champion Fred Kerley finished just off the podium - and off the U.S. team for the World Championships - in fourth at 19.86.

Kerley will compete for Team USA in the 100m but did not race it in Eugene, having secured automatic entry to the World Athletics Championships courtesy of his victory in last year’s global final.

2019 100m world champion Christian Coleman was sixth (19.95). Earlier in the week, he finished second 100m final.

Reigning 200m world champion Noah Lyles, like Kerley, is automatically qualified in the event for the Worlds. Last night, he also punched his ticket in the 100m after a third-place finish that comes amid a recovery from a COVID infection late last month.

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