American Stars Shine Bright at World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
Excitement peaked on the seventh day of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo as American athletes dominated the sprints. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden grabbed gold in the women’s 200m, completing her sprint double after winning the 100m earlier. Meanwhile, Noah Lyles powered through to victory in the men’s 200m, matching a legendary record.
Jefferson-Wooden, 28, blazed down the track in 21.68 seconds to claim the women’s 200m gold. She finished nearly half a second ahead of the pack—a huge margin that reminds fans of Allyson Felix’s epic win back in 2007. This victory boosts her to eighth on the all-time world list for the 200m, and she already sits fourth ever in the 100m from this championships. "I’m thrilled to add this to my 100m crown," Jefferson-Wooden said, beaming after her dominant run.
In the men’s 200m, Noah Lyles, the 26-year-old sprint sensation, clocked 19.52 seconds to secure his fourth straight world title. This equals Usain Bolt’s incredible record and brings Lyles’ total to six golds across four World Athletics Championships. He adds this to his 100m win in Budapest and 4x100m relay triumphs in Doha and Budapest. Teammate Kenneth Bednarek, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, took silver with a season-best 19.58 seconds, giving the USA a one-two finish. Jamaica’s Bryan Levell snatched bronze in a personal best of 19.64 seconds, while Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, fresh off his 100m silver, just missed out in fourth at 19.65 seconds.
Lyles couldn’t hide his joy after the race. "I can’t wait for 2027 in Beijing to become the only man with five 200m titles," he declared. Reflecting on his journey, he added, "Tokyo 2021 left bad memories—I was depressed then. But now, I’m energized and loving every bit of it. The best support team, the roaring crowd, and seeing my face everywhere—it’s pure joy. I’ll cherish this forever."
Pedro Pichardo Soars to Triple Jump Gold
Switching to the field events, Portugal’s Pedro Pichardo leaped to glory in the men’s triple jump. The 32-year-old Tokyo Olympic champion hit a world-leading 17.91 meters on his final try, clinching his second world title after winning in Eugene three years ago. "This feels even sweeter," Pichardo shared, celebrating his powerful performance.
Italy’s Andrea Dallavalle earned silver with 17.64 meters, and Cuba’s Lazaro Martinez grabbed bronze at a season-best 17.49 meters. China’s Zhu Yaming, who won silver at the Tokyo Olympics, placed 11th with 16.51 meters.
As the championships head into their final day, these wins highlight the thrilling battles in sprinting and jumping at the World Athletics Championships 2023. Stay tuned for more action from Tokyo!
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