World Athletics Championships 2023: Noah Lyles, Erriyon Knighton and Andre de Grasse make men's 200m semis with ease
The heats of the men's 200m provided no real surprises, with all the major medal hopefuls safely qualifying to the semi-finals to be held on Thursday.
Athletics
Newly crowned 100m world champion Noah Lyles's hunt for a track sprint treble continues at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, after the American comfortably won his heat in the men's 200m on Wednesday (23 August).
Lyles, the defending champion in the 200m from 2022, started slowly out of the blocks in his race before moving into the lead on the front straight with around 60 metres to go.
The American eased up slightly but still comfortably won his heat in 20.05 seconds, two tenths ahead of his nearest challenger behind him.
"I try to make all my races look as easy as possible, even if they aren't," Lyles told media afterwards. "I thought it was pretty well-handled today. After the first 10 metres I felt extremely good, then coming off the turn I saw Andrew Hudson (of Jamaica) on the outside and I knew he was going for a big push.
"I had to show him that I'm not intimidated at all. I still have gears left, I just didn't need them here. Tomorrow (in the semi-finals) the goal is to have my body and my legs ready to hit that power button again."
Erriyon Knighton and Andre de Grasse, sharing the same heat, also both qualified. Knighton, last year's bronze medallist in this event, kicked in the last 50 metres to cross the line in 20.17 ahead of his Canadian opponent. De Grasse's season has been hampered by injury, but he looked in good shape coming home behind Knighton in 20.28.
The honour of fastest qualifier went to Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes, the only man to go sub-20 in today's heats. Hughes, the British record holder, continued his fine form from the 100m where he won bronze to clock 19.99.
The other 100m medallist from Sunday, Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, comfortably won his heat in 20.22 – even having time to visibly ease up on the final straight. Clearly knowing he had won his heat, Tebogo walked straight off the track and up the stairs without waiting to see his result.
Speaking to the media afterwards, Tebogo referenced Lyles's stated aim of breaking Usain Bolt's world record in the event, which currently stands at 19.19. "I think I will need to run faster than 19.50 for the title," the Motswana said. "Noah Lyles will attack the world record, and maybe, if I push him hard, he could set it. I am not thinking about it now."
Kenny Bednarek, the 2022 silver medallist, completed the list of medal hopefuls safely through to the semi-finals. The American looked unbothered in winning a fast last heat in 20.01 seconds.