World Championships: Lyles, Jackson blaze to World 200m gold

Eugene: Noah Lyles produced a dominating performance to retain his 200 metres title in 19.31 seconds at the World Championships on Thursday, becoming the third-fastest athlete of all time over the distance and leading a second American sprint podium sweep.

Tokyo bronze medallist Lyles led at the halfway point and exploded through the finish, with compatriots Kenny Bednarek (19.77) and 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton (19.80) battling out of the turn and down the straight for silver and bronze.

"Today is my day - I finally got to do what I dreamed of," he said on track after breaking four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson's national record, which had stood since 1996. "I got my whole family here."

Thursday's race was the second 1-2-3 for U.S. men in Eugene after Fred Kerley, Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell swept the 100m. It is the first time any country has swept the two men's sprints in the same year at the worlds.

Jamaica's Shericka Jackson became the fastest woman alive over 200 metres on Thursday when she scorched to a brilliant world title in 21.45 seconds, a time bettered only by American Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.

Fellow Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who claimed her fifth world 100m gold on Sunday, took silver in 21.81, with Britain's defending champion Dina Asher-Smith third in 22.02.

It was an incredible run by Jackson, edging her ahead of double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson-Herah in the all-time list and closing in on Griffith-Joyner's 21.34 from the Seoul Olympics.

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