Lyles, Jefferson-Wooden storm to Oregon victories

EUGENE, Oregon (AFP) — Noah Lyles laid down a world championship marker with a blistering 200-meter victory at the US trials in Oregon on Sunday as Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completed a sprint double in the women's event.

The final day of action at Eugene's Hayward Field saw Lyles come from behind to win a testy battle with Kenny Bednarek in a world-leading 19.63 seconds

After edging in front of Bednarek just before the line, Lyles turned his head to stare down his rival as he took the tape.

That drew an angry response from Bednarek, who shoved the reigning 100m and 200m world champion as the two men slowed down after the finish.

Lyles, the Olympic 100m champion who already had a bye into September's Worlds in Tokyo, refused to be drawn on his spat with Bednarek.

"Under the coach's orders, no comment," Lyles said afterwards.

But Bednarek, a double Olympic 200m silver medalist, was more expansive.

"What he said doesn't matter, it's just what he did," Bednarek said, referring to Lyles' finish-line stare.

"That's unsportsmanlike shit, and I don't deal with that ... I don't deal with any of that stuff. It's not good character," added Bednarek, who took second in a season's best 19.67 seconds.

In the women's sprints meanwhile, Jefferson-Wooden signaled she could well be the woman to beat in Tokyo after completing her 100m-200m double, winning the 200m in 21.84 seconds, with Anavia Battle second in 22.12 seconds.