Noah Lyles wins his second-consecutive 200m title at Zurich Diamond League

The 100 and 200m world champion, Noah Lyles, continued his incredible form on a cold night in Zurich, Switzerland, at the Weltklasse Diamond League meeting. Lyles won the men’s 200m in a time of 19.80 seconds to earn his second-consecutive 200m victory.

Coming into the race off three gold medals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Lyles was considered the favourite and said he was here to find that pop he didn’t feel like he had in the world 200m final, where he ran 19.51 to win. 

His win in Zurich was never in question, even though he was up against a tough field, featuring 2023 world championship medallists Erriyon Knighton and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes. The temperature in Zurich was a chilly 13 C at the start–a big change for the sprinters from the 35-plus temps in Budapest, which resulted in slower times.

Lyles won the race handily in 19.80, while Knighton was second in 19.87 and Hughes third in 19.94. 

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Canada’s De Grasse fifth, Brown sixth

It was a tough night for the Canadian sprint duo of Andre De Grasse and Aaron Brown, who placed fifth and sixth, a ways back from their season’s best times. 

“For me right now, I am not worried about racing the guys,” De Grasse says. ” My goal is to get a season’s best so I know I am on the right path for next year.”

De Grasse says he still feels he’s missing the 100m speed he had in 2021. “I know my fitness is strong, but I need to get back that 100m speed I had in Tokyo to help me in the 200m,” he says.

It has been a tough two weeks for Brown, who went 0-for-2 at worlds in the 200m and 4x100m relay. Brown was disqualified from the 200m semi-final after a lane infraction on the bend. “Yes, it’s still on my mind, but I need to get back into my zone and leave what happened in Budapest in the past,” said Brown about the DQ. “I wanted to put that behind me and have a strong showing today, but that wasn’t the case, so I will keep racing.”

Andre De Grasse (@De6rasse) on his fifth-place finish in the 200m at @WeltklasseZH 💎

“I am missing that 100m speed. I know my fitness is strong but I need to get back that 100m speed I had in Tokyo to help in me the 200m.”#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/5Czv72HvzK

— Canadian Running (@CanadianRunning) August 31, 2023

De Grasse will head to Brussels to compete in the 200m, the last Diamond League meet before the final in Eugene, while Brown will look to regain form this weekend at a Continental Tour Gold meet near Venice, Italy.

For all results from the Zurich Diamond League, check here.