Noah Lyles wants to break Bolt’s 200m world record

Noah Lyles will focus on the 200m at next month’s World Athletics Championships as he aims to break Usain Bolt’s record.

The American sprinter, 22, has dropped the 100m after beating Bolt’s Paris Diamond League meeting 200m record.

Bolt, who retired in 2017, holds the world records in the 100m (9.58sec) and 200m (19.19sec), set in Berlin in 2009.

“I have a strong chance of winning and I also have a strong chance of trying to break some records,” Lyles said.

“I might not get another chance like this again because I plan to be doubling after this.

“The 100m is just one of those races where I’m not so strong in it that I know I’m going to come away with a win.”

Before the World Athletics Championships, which take place in Doha from 27 September, Lyles was back in action yesterday for the Diamond League final in Zurich.

He was against defending champion Justin Gatlin, Jamaican Yohan Blake and Great Britain’s Adam Gemili and Zharnel Hughes.

Lyles added: “Body-wise I feel ready to go. I’m very excited to see where my 100m is going to take me.

“We’ve put a tonne of work into the start and it’s paying off. I feel pretty confident.”