Athletics: Lyles set to turn attention to 200m in Europe

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Track and Field: USA Championships
Jun 22, 2018; Des Moines, IA, USA; Noah Lyles left) reacts after defeating Ronnie Baker (not pictured) to win the 100m, 9.88 to 9.90, during the USA Championships at Drake Stadium. Bryce Robinson (right) was seventh in 10.55. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

June 24, 2018

By Gene Cherry

(Reuters) – Sprint man of the hour Noah Lyles’ next challenge will be a 200 meters in July’s Lausanne Diamond League meeting, his coach told Reuters.

“The plan right now is to run a 200 in Lausanne (July 5) and another 200 in Monaco (July 20),” Lance Brauman said in a telephone interview from the U.S. championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

“(They) are the ones we are definitely committed to.”

Lyles, only 20, became the yearly leader in both the 100 and 200m when he won the U.S. championship in the shorter race in 9.88 seconds on Friday. He already had a share of the year’s best 200m, at 19.69 seconds.

“I feel like I been cheating on my main (200) with my side (100),” the social media-loving Lyles tweeted on Sunday.

“I need to show my main some love.”

He hinted on Friday that he’ll be aiming to post faster times in both events.

“We still got some speed training to do,” he told reporters after the 100m victory. “Then we are going to go over to Europe and try and do the same thing or better.”

Lyles, who turns 21 on July 18, also hinted more 100m races were in the works but did not elaborate.

He needed a strong surge in the closing meters to edge world indoor 60m bronze medalist Ronnie Baker for the U.S. title. The fast-starting Baker also set a lifetime best, finishing in 9.90 seconds.

The win made Lyles the youngest U.S. 100m champion in 34 years.

Brauman, his coach, was most impressed with the way Lyles held his composure.

“He missed his start in the final,” Brauman said. “Kinda got choppy at the beginning and had to run himself out of it.

“When he stood up, he just stayed calm and did what he does real well, which is hold top end and hold position to the line. That’s why he won the race.”

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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