US track star Noah Lyles set a new US record in the 200 meters at the world championships in Oregon on Thursday night, besting the legendary Michael Johnson's previous mark by one-100th of a second.
The 25-year-old Lyles, who won bronze in the 200 at last summer's Olympics in Tokyo, recorded a blistering 19.31 to edge out Johnson's 19.32, which stood for 26 years dating back to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Lyles' record jaunt was initially clocked at 19.32, putting him in a tie with Johnson, but was adjusted a few moments later. The Florida native blew away the field, winning by several lengths. His Team USA teammates Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton claimed second and third place, respectively, marking a clean sweep for the Americans in the event.
After the historic race, Lyles pounded his hand on the track four times, stood up straight and ripped off his jersey. He grabbed his medal from the presenter, then went over and hugged his family and took hold of an American flag.
Lyles’ 19.31 was the third-fastest time in history, behind only Usain Bolt’s 19.19 in 2009 and a 19.26 run two years later by another Jamaican, Yohan Blake, while he was briefly pushing Bolt for supremacy.
Johnson, now an analyst with BBC Sport, said he knew his US record would fall some day, and he wouldn't be surprised if Lyles breaks Bolt's world record.
Incredibly, the gold-shoed Johnson's record time came about a year before Lyles was born. Lyles said he was pleased not to share the record.
“I didn’t want to see ‘32,’ I didn´t want to share a record,” Lyles later said. “Nobody wants to share a record. I think even Michael Johnson doesn’t want to share a record. So I was just begging it to change.”
Hours after the victory, Johnson was down on the track talking with Lyles while a few dozen fans soaked in the scene. Lyles said they had never met before. Johnson lifted Lyles’ arm in the air while the fans took pictures of the former and new American record-holders.
“He just said he had a great race,” Johnson told an Associated Press reporter when asked what they talked about. “He said he worked harder than he ever did. I thought he ran a great curve. And so, it was fantastic.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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