World Athletics Championships 2023: Noah Lyles through to 200m final after dramatic golf buggy crash; Erriyon Knighton, Andre de Grasse also qualify
The newly crowned 100m world champion sets the quickest time of the evening (19.76) despite earlier being involved in a collision while being transported to the track. Knighton and Bednarek also win their semis as one of the most anticipated finals of the championships takes shape
Athletics
Noah Lyles is through to the 200m final of the 2023 World Athletics Championships but not before a dramatic accident almost put his race in jeopardy.
Before a starting gun had even been fired, the new 100m world champion, along with the rest of the competitors in his race, was involved in a golf buggy crash en route to the track. It left the American record holder visibly shaken, while Jamaica's Andrew Hudson, who was sat behind him, needed medical treatment to remove glass from his eye.
Despite the drama - and the delays to the event that ensured, with the semi-finals eventually being re-ordered - Lyles was not thrown off his game, posting the fastest time of all three semi-finals (19.76) as his dreams of a golden 100m/200m double remain alive.
Jamaica's Hudson who was eventually cleared to race and finished fifth, has been advanced to the final and will run in lane 1 along with the eight other qualifiers.
After the race, Hudson explained what the track-side doctor had said to him: "I went back to medical and the doctor said I had some shards of glass in my eye," he said. "I tried to flush it out as best as possible."
A Local Organising Committee statement was later released that said: "The 200m heats reorder was due to the collision of two golf carts. One athlete and a volunteer were assessed and the athlete cleared to participate. He competed in the last heat. The volunteer is also fine. The Local Organising Committee is investigating the incident and reviewing the transport procedures."
Lyles will be joined by compatriot Erriyon Knighton who was hugely impressive in his semi, setting a time of 19.98 to beat 100m Olympic bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes (20.02) to the line, with the Brit qualifying for the final courtesy of his second-place.
"My goal was just to do it better than last year and I think I did so," a content Knighton said after the race. "Although I'm only 19, I've just finished high school, this is very much where I do belong. I expect to be faster in the final, it's going to be tough."
Canada's Tokyo 2020 Andre de Grasse gold medallist faced a nervous wait after finishing third in his semi-final but his time of 20.10 was enough to see him through to the gold medal race.
"That was tough," he said. "I'm missing that 100m speed, of course, and they got away from me on the turn, which doesn't usually happen. But I live to fight another day, I guess. I'll make a few adjustments in tomorrow's final and see what I can do. I'm going to give it my all, I'm a competitor. I'm in a final after struggling all season, so for now I'll take that."
The second semi of the evening was won by Kenny Bednarek who looked in strong form as he clocked 19.96 to win a neck-and-neck race with Botswana's 20-year-old world 100m medallist Letsile Tebogo who finished in 19.97.
The earlier golf cart collision meant that Lyles, who was scheduled to run in the first semi-final, eventually competed in the final 200m race of the evening.
But even with the misfortune of the accident, the American was in supreme form, soaring through to the final with consummate ease.