Noah Lyles breaks Michael Johnson’s U.S. record that stood since 1996 : NPR

The U.S. swept the boys’s 200m last on the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Area in Eugene, Ore., with Noah Lyles setting a brand new U.S. document. At left is bronze medalist Erriyon Knighton; at proper is silver medalist Kenneth Bednarek.

Hannah Peters/Getty Photographs for World Athletics

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Hannah Peters/Getty Photographs for World Athletics

The U.S. swept the boys’s 200m last on the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Area in Eugene, Ore., with Noah Lyles setting a brand new U.S. document. At left is bronze medalist Erriyon Knighton; at proper is silver medalist Kenneth Bednarek.

Hannah Peters/Getty Photographs for World Athletics

Noah Lyles knew he had run the most effective race of his life — and perhaps the most effective 200 meters any American had ever run. He completed up to now forward of the opposite runners in Thursday night time’s last on the World Athletics Championships that after crossing the end line, he turned to stare down his solely true opponent: the clock.

However for agonizing moments, the on-field clock stubbornly confirmed Lyles’ unofficial time as 19.32. The mark would elate some other runner on the planet, however it was additionally the identical time Michael Johnson set within the 200 meters on the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Since then, it has appeared unassailable. Till now.

Lyles, 25, stood together with his palms on his hips, staring. He walked over to the clock at Hayward Area in Eugene, Ore., speaking to it.

“I used to be telling it to present me some slack, you understand?” he later said, laughing with reporters. “How’s it going to indicate the identical time, 19.32? Come on, change that.”

He crouched towards it, questioning if his laborious work would repay. Lyles focused the document one summer season after successful a disappointing (for him) bronze medal on the Tokyo Olympics. All of it got here collectively in Oregon, the place Lyles used a incredible begin to take command of a extremely anticipated race.

Standing on the observe afterward, it appeared like Lyles was having a private argument with the clock. When he lastly turned away, two issues occurred. The clock’s display sliced one hundredth of a second off his time: 19.31. Above, it blared the magic phrase: “Official.”

As screens across the stadium up to date with the official time, the celebration of a world title erupted into euphoria over Lyles being topped the quickest American ever within the 200 meters. His second got here with a big household contingent cheering him on. Lyles later reeled off the roster: “Mother, stepdad, sister, brother, dad, stepmom, uncle, grandma.”

The brand new document put an exclamation mark on a U.S. sweep within the males’s 200 meters, with 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton claiming bronze and Kenneth Bednarek successful silver.

For Lyles, it was a deliverance lengthy in coming. He has made it some extent to talk overtly about the challenges he’s overcome to coach and race, together with bronchial asthma. He says remedy has helped him deal with despair, and he works to assist younger youngsters pursue observe even when they lack the means to take action.

However Lyles outran the world on Thursday night time, when he set a brand new gold customary for U.S. observe. He is now cemented as one of the fastest men the world has ever seen. His 19.31 time has solely been bested by two others: Jamaican runners Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.

Johnson was current to look at his document fall, working as a commentator for BBC Sport. He congratulated Lyles in particular person.

“To be trustworthy, I did not anticipate him to come back down,” Lyles mentioned with a giant smile.

However Johnson did. And so did his document — lastly.