Lyles defends 200m title as drama unfolds across track and field events

American sprint star Noah Lyles retained his crown in the men’s 200m final, clocking an impressive 19.52 seconds to secure gold. He finished ahead of teammate Kenny Bednarek and Jamaica’s Bryan Levell, who took silver and bronze respectively.

“I came here to defend my title and I did just that,” said a jubilant Lyles.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo finished fourth but expressed pride in his performance after a challenging season. “To end like this, after everything, I'm proud,” he said.

In the men’s triple jump, reigning World Champion Hugues Fabrice Zango of Burkina Faso wrapped up his athletics career with a 16.92m jump, finishing seventh. Algeria’s Yasser Triki narrowly missed the podium with a 17.25m mark, placing fourth.

Kenya continues to dominate middle-distance events. In the women’s 800m, Mary Moraa, Lilian Odira, and Sarah Moraa all secured spots in the final. Meanwhile, Morocco’s Assia Raziki didn’t qualify but achieved a new personal best, an achievement she celebrated.

In the men’s 5000m, Kipsang, Gebriwet, and Merary advanced to the final, setting the stage for a thrilling showdown.

In the heptathlon, American Anna Hall leads after four events, while Olympic champion Nafissatou Thiam sits in fifth.