Noah Lyles kept alive his bid to match Usain Bolt’s record of four consecutive world 200 metres titles as he scorched to the fastest time of the year of 19.51sec in the semi-finals on Thursday.

There was Tokyo heartbreak, however, for Australia’s 17-year-old sensation Gout Gout, who missed out on what would have been a first senior final.

There was no let-up from Lyles in his semi, as there often is with sprinters running heats in the knowledge they’ve already qualified for the next round.

The 28-year-old American properly fired through the line at the National Stadium to better his previous world lead of 19.63sec set at the US trials.

Lyles claimed bronze in Sunday’s 100m in Tokyo and immediately turned his attention to the 200m, which he called his “bread and butter”.

“I surprised m

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