NEW YORK — US sprint star Noah Lyles pulled up with cramp in the 200m final at the US athletics championships, his bid for a title double undone as Garrett Kaalund claimed the victory.
“I came out of the turn and I just felt the grabbing sensation, and I was like ‘Yeah, this is the time to stop. There’s no reason to push this,'” Lyles, who won the 100m in a world leading 9.79sec, told broadcaster NBC.
The 2024 100m Olympic gold medallist downplayed potential injury concerns as the championships at Icahn Stadium in New York concluded.
“It was somewhat of a cramp. I’m fine. I just need to be stretched out, get some electrolytes in my system, but I’ll be good,” he said according to AFP.
Lyles walked over to give Kaalund a congratulatory hug after the 22-year-old captured the title in 20.04sec.
Brandon Hicklin was second and Maximilian Thomas third, both credited with a time of 20.29sec.
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, a treble gold medallist at last September’s world championships, won the women’s 200m in 21.69sec – just one-hundredth off her personal best.
Jefferson-Wooden came off the turn in front and powered home with Cambrea Sturgis second in 22.22 and Camryn Dickson third in 22.58.
Jefferson-Wooden had opted out of the 100m, which was won by Sha’Carri Richardson.
In a year with no world championships or Olympic team berths on the line, some well-known names opted out of the national championships or tweaked their programmes, but there were still plenty of familiar winners.
Tara Davis-Woodhall pushed her long jump winning streak to 19 competitions in dramatic style, unleashing a leap of 7.16m on her sixth and final attempt to triumph.
Davis-Woodhall hasn’t lost in the event since a runner-up finish at the 2023 world championships, a streak that includes 2024 Olympic gold and last year’s world title.
