Ostrava (Czech Republic) (AFP) – US sprinter Noah Lyles set the world’s best ever time over the rarely-run 150 metres on Tuesday, clocking 14.67 seconds at the Golden Spike meet in the eastern Czech city of Ostrava. The 28-year-old Lyles beat the previous best of 14.72 seconds set by Kishane Thompson of Jamaica in Florida in April. At Ostrava, Lyles beat Sinesipho Dambile of South Africa with 14.78 seconds, while Australian teenager Gout Gout finished third in 14.96 seconds.
“Was there ever any doubt? We came for a show,” an elated Lyles told Czech TV. Dutch star Femke Broeders-Bol had to bow to in-form Swiss Audrey Werro in her outdoor debut in the 800m. The 26-year-old Broeders-Bol has switched from 400m hurdles, in which she had won two world gold medals, and clocked an impressive 1 minute 57.13 seconds for second place. “It was so cool, I love racing in Ostrava. It was tough, but I enjoyed it,” she said.
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Bol has also claimed multiple medals as the anchor leg in 4x400m relay teams, notably a gold in the mixed event in the Paris Olympics. She ran her first 800m since 2017 in February, clocking a national record of 1 minute 59.07 seconds before withdrawing from the rest of the indoor season to nurse a foot injury. The 22-year-old Werro won in 1 minute 54.45 seconds, half a second behind her personal best from March, after shedding Broeders-Bol with 200 metres to run. “It was a really crazy run but the time is very good so I’m really happy,” Werro said.
Having set the eighth best time ever, she stayed over a second behind the oldest world record in athletics of 1:53.28 set in 1983 by Jarmila Kratochvilova of then-Czechoslovakia, who watched the race from the stands. South Africa’s 20-year-old Bayanda Walaza won the men’s 100m as he equalled his personal best of 9.94 seconds, beating Emmanuel Eseme of Cameroon with 9.99 seconds. US favourites Ronnie Baker and Jordan Anthony were demoted to the fourth and fifth spots respectively with times well over 10 seconds.
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