Lyles shoved by Bednarek after 200m win at US nationals

EUGENE, Oregon:

Noah Lyles landed the day's biggest blow on the track, passing Kenny Bednarek for the win, then looking his way to talk some trash.

Bednarek's answer was a two-handed shove in the back after the finish line, some more heated words and a challenge for a rematch that can't come soon enough.

The US track championships turned physical yesterday, with Lyles and Bednarek getting involved in a shoving and shouting match as they crossed the finish line of a hotly-contested 200-metre final at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

"Like I've said before, Noah's going to be Noah," Bednarek said. "If he wants to stare me down, that's fine."

Lyles reeled in Bednarek and crossed in 19.63 seconds for a .04-second victory that sets up a rematch at the World Championships, on September 19 in Tokyo.

The best action in Round One came after the finish line. There was jawing, the shove and, then, Lyles turning around, back-pedalling, reaching his arms out and bouncing up and down like a boxer before lobbing a few more choice words at Bednarek.

Their argument bled into the start of what is normally a celebratory NBC winner's interview.

"I tell ya, if you've got a problem, I expect a call," Bednarek said, as the network's Lewis Johnson moved the mic between the runners.

Lyles replied: "You know what, you're right. You're right. Let's talk after this."

Though they shook hands during that tense post-race, Bednarek was fired up well after the sprinters had left the track.

"The summary is, don't do that to me," he said. "I don't do any of that stuff. It's not good character right there. That's pretty much it. At the end of the day, he won the race. I've got to give him props. He was the better man today."

Bednarek was asked what Lyles said as he turned around and gloated after securing his fifth national title at his favourite distance.

"What he said didn't matter, it's just what he did," Bednarek said. "Unsportsmanlike (expletive) and I don't deal with that. It's a respect factor. He's fresh. Last time we lined it up, I beat him, that's all I can say. Next time we line up, I'm going to win. That's all that matters."

Asked to expand on his role in the tiff, Lyles was less forthcoming: "On coach's orders, no comment."

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Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the women's 200m in a personal-best time of 21.84 seconds, while Olympic champion Gabby Thomas had to wait a few anxious moments to see if she earned a spot on the Worlds team. She did as her named popped up in third place.

It was a winning weekend for Jefferson-Wooden, who also captured the 100m on Friday. She will be joined in the 100 at Worlds by Sha'Carri Richardson, who has an automatic spot as the defending champion. Richardson didn't advance to the final in the 200.

- AP