Lyles leads US gold rush at Doha Worlds

United States of America picked up three gold medals on the fifth day of the IAAF World Championships here at the Khalifa Stadium yesterday as sprinters Noah Lyles and Donavan Brazier topped in the track events while Sam Kendricks won the third one in pole vault.

In the 200m final, Adam Gemili of Great Britain was the best starter and he held a lead off the curve, but it was not to be his night.

Running on the lane inside the Brit, Lyles took over and began to charge in the last 70m, pulling clear from the chasing pack. The American, demonstrating the same pick up speed he’s shown on the circuit all season long, was the clear winner in 19.83. It was not his best time, not his best performance, but was enough for the win in the biggest race of his young career.

“So many times this year I’ve thought of being the world champion. You wouldn’t believe it – I have on my phone, I say it to myself in my car, I think it all the time – and finally to have done it feels unbelievable. I don’t know how many people come to their first World Championships and get the gold, but I’ve done it. I just knew no matter what position I found myself in I can always find a way to come through. And when I crossed the line I just felt relief. This time last year I’d only just started running. Think of that. Don’t say I’m the new Bolt. I’m me. If you like me, I’ll happily entertain you. It’s my time,” Lyles said after his victory last night.

With 50m left, Andre De Grasse, bronze medallist in the 100m a few nights ago, shifted to high gear to finish in lighting seed to clinch the silver in 19.95.

Alex Quinonez of Ecuador got the bronze in 19.98.

Earlier, Brazier stormed home to claim a first-ever world title for the United States in the men’s 800 metres yesterday.

Brazier raced past Puerto Rican Wesley Vasquez with 300 metres left to win in a world championship record time of one minute 42.34 seconds.

Bosnia’s Amel Tuka took the silver and Kenya’s Ferguson Cheruiyot Rotich the bronze.

Brazier and fellow American Clayton Murphy, who finished fourth, both train at the Nike Oregon Project whose head coach Alberto Salazar was banned for four years by the US Anti-Doping Agency on Monday for “orchestrating and facilitating prohibited doping conduct”.

Salazar has denied wrongdoing and vowed to appeal and sportswear giant Nike has said it will stand by the 61-year-old coach.

Meanwhile, Dina Asher-Smith, silver medallist in the 100m at the ongoing championships has emerged as a favourite for the gold in today’s final of the 200m event.

The Briton clocked the fastest time in yesterday’s qualifying. With her rivals Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josee Ta Lou opting out, while Elaine Thompson and Dafne Schippers pulling out due to injuries, Asher-Smith stamped her authority on the 200m.

She eased to victory in her semi-final in a time of 22.16, three tenths of a second quicker than any other athlete managed in the same round.