'Can't wait for 2027' - Noah Lyles warned rivals as he matched Usain Bolt with a fourth straight 200m world title in Tokyo
Updated 19/09/2025 at 16:53 GMT+1
Noah Lyles issued a warning to rivals, saying he "cannot wait for 2027" as he won gold in the 200m at the World Athletics Championships to equal Usain Bolt's four in a row. USA teammate Kenny Bednarek took silver, while Jamaica’s Bryan Levell took bronze, Great Britain's Zharnell Hughes crossed the line in fifth. Lyles had to settle for bronze in the 100m, with Oblique Seville taking gold.
'Four straight 200m titles' - Lyles storms to gold in Tokyo
Video credit: TNT Sports
Noah Lyles warned his rivals he "cannot wait for 2027" as he won his fourth straight 200m World Athletics Championships title.
The American clocked a time of 19.52 in Tokyo as he beat fellow American Kenny Bednarek to the line by 0.06.
Jamaica’s Bryan Levell came third in a personal-best time of 19.64, with Botswana's Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo fourth and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes in fifth.
Lyles’ fourth consecutive 200m world title sees him match Usain Bolt’s run of four in a row from 2009 through to 2015.Â
It’s also a return to the top step of the podium after taking bronze in the 100m.
Rivals who may have hoped the 28-year-old might take his foot off the gas after entering such illustrious company would be mistaken though, with Lyles offering them a stern warning two years out from Beijing.
"I wanted it pretty bad, one, because I didn’t win the 100 [metres], two, I wanted to rewrite a memory here in Tokyo which just wasn’t as good as it could be, and it wasn’t because of the colour of the medal, it was more because of the state of my mindset, not having the crowd.
"It’s just such a blessing to have everybody come out here and you can just feel the energy. It’s everything you could ever want from a crowd.
"Being patient was the most important thing tonight, I knew some of the guys were going to tighten up but I just stayed relaxed and got the job done.
"This is amazing and such a joyous moment. I am going to keep with me forever - now I want to win the gold medal in the relay and I can’t wait for 2027 to become the only man to win five 200 metres titles."
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Lyles now has seven world championships gold medals and has a good chance at an eighth in the relay, he is still someway short of Bolt's 14 but there can be no doubting his status among sprinters now.
"He truly now is one of the greats," said TNT Sports commentator Tim Hutchings.
"If anyone was doubting him after the 100m, he has shut them up in fine style."
Lyles came into the World Championships as the fastest man over 200m in 2025.
He ran a season-best time of 19.51 in the semi-finals and almost beat that in the final as he pulled into the lead down the home straight.
Bednarek has now won four silver medals in the 200m - two at the Olympics and two at World Championships.
Britain's Hughes ran a season-best time of 19.78 but could not get into medal contention.
How to watch the 2025 World Athletics Championships
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