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A14 sports
Monday 21 august 2023
Lyles wins world title at 100 meters and sets his sights on more

By EDDIE PELLS est competition in the final
AP National Writer came from Letsile Tebogo,
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — a 20-year-old from Botswa-
Noah Lyles calls himself the na who became the first
"Told you're not a 100 guy." African to win a medal in
That didn't stop him. 100 at worlds.
In fact, nobody could Sun- He took silver in 9.873, .001
day at the world champi- ahead of British nation-
onships in what has always al-record holder Zharnel
been his second-best race. Hughes.
Now, he doesn't see any- "This is funny for the people,
one slowing his path to of course," said the reigning
becoming the world's next Olympic champ, Marcell
great Olympic sprinter. Jacobs of Italy, who also
The 26-year-old American was targeted in the pre-
reeled in the field to win the race trash talk, and also
100-meter world title in 9.83 found himself out before
seconds — a victory that the final. "But you have to
puts him in position to be talk when the race is fin-
the first man to complete ished. When the (last) race
the 100-200 double since is finished, not the first."
Usain Bolt made a habit of Noah Lyles, of the United States, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the Men's 100-meter Other winners on Day 2 in
final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023.
it at Olympics and world Associated Press Budapest were Uganda's
championships from 2008- Joshua Cheptegei, who
16. and the four-by-one (re- get better at his signature 9.65 in the 100, a time only won his third straight worlds
Witty, outspoken, unafraid lay).' And then they'll be event. That's where the fo- Bolt has bettered, and 19.10 at 10,000; Britain's Katarina
to bet on himself, Lyles like, 'That is the start of a dy- cus went. He said recently in the 200, which would Johnson-Thompson, who
might just be the guy to nasty.'" his coach, Lance Brauman, shatter the Jamaican's won her second world hep-
add some fire back to a If there were doubters, was getting excited about world record of 19.19. Lyles, tathlon title; Serbia's Ivana
sprint game where titles though, they had the right. the progress and Brauman whose biggest competi- Vuleta in the long jump;
have been shuffled be- Though not a complete "is a guy who does not get tion in the 200 is expected and Canada's Ethan Katz-
tween men of few words newcomer to the 100, Lyles excited at all." to come from 19-year-old berg in a hammer throw
and names from out of has a thin resume at that "I listen to the athlete, and Erryion Knighton, currently that featured the host
nowhere since Bolt left six distance. His most notable they tell me what they holds the American record country's first medal of the
years ago. The Paris Olym- finishes: a win in a Diamond want to try to do," Brauman at 19.31. meet, a bronze from Bence
pics are less than 12 months League meet four years said. "When I got him, ev- Defending 100 champion Halasz.
away. ago and gold at the world erybody in the world told Fred Kerley scoffed at the In the 100, Lyles overcame
"I've known for a long time under-20 championships in me he needs to be a 2(00)- 9.65 goal, adding some a so-so start out of Lane 6,
that I've got so much more 2016. He barely qualified for 4(00) guy. But he wanted to spice to the pre-race news and was running in about
to give to this event, but worlds in the shorter race be a 100-meter runner." conference by saying if fourth place at the halfway
I've just been giving a lot after battling with COVID in That was Bolt's story, too. Lyles did that, he'd run fast- mark. Everyone ahead of
to the 200," said Lyles, who the leadup to U.S. nationals And though there will never er. Lyles countered: "That's him was to his left, and he
is favored to defend his ti- last month. be another Bolt, Lyles isn't what they all say 'til they powered past them and
tle in that event on Friday. Behind the scenes, though, afraid to dream big. get beat." through the line. His first em-
"And as people look back things have been chang- He raised eyebrows with Lyles didn't even get a brace was with American
at this year, they're gonna ing. Lyles knew he needed an Instagram post earlier chance to do the honor. teammate Christian Cole-
be, like, 'This is the year that more work on the first halves this summer in which he Kerley got beat in the semi- man, the 2019 champion
Noah won the 200, the 100 of his 200-meter races to declared he wanted to run final round and Lyles' clos- who finished fifth.q

Coco Gauff, 19, earns Cincinnati women’s

title by beating Muchova in straight sets

over Karolina Muchova on just happy to be here for game point, Gauff gained
Sunday. this moment. command over her Czech
Gauff, the 2022 French Gauff was the tournament's Republic opponent with a
Open runner-up, earned fourth teenage finalist and break in the eighth game.
her first Masters 1000 title first since Vera Zvonar- She fought off two break
when Muchova sailed a eva in 2004. She is the first points in the fourth game
forehand return wide on teenage champion since of the second set and
Gauff's fourth match point. 17-year-old Linda Tuero in took control with a break
The 19-year-old American 1968. in the next game when
tossed her racket in the air Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz Muchova sent a backhand
Coco Gauff, of the United States, kisses the Rookwood Cup as
she poses for photos after defeating Karolina Muchova, of the and jumped up and down and No. 2 Novak Djokovic wide. While winning the
Czech Republic, during the women's singles final of the Western in glee after surviving a played for the men's title in next game, Gauff caught
& Southern Open tennis tournament, Sunday, Aug. 20, 2023, in 1-hour, 56-minute match a rematch of Alcaraz's vic- a break with a winner off
Mason, Ohio. played in temperatures ap- tory in the Wimbledon final. the net that left her with
Associated Press proaching 90 degrees. After a spotty first set that her left palm on her rack-
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Sev- in more than 50 years to "This is unbelievable," Gauff featured a combined five et and looking up at the
enth-seeded Coco Gauff win the Western & Southern said during the post-match service breaks, including sky as if she was praying in
became the first teenager Open with a 6-3, 6-4 victory trophy presentation. "I'm Gauff's double fault on one gratitude.q