The men’s 200m event is gaining momentum at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, with standout performances from Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo during the heats on Wednesday, 17 September. Both athletes secured victories in their respective heats, as Lyles, the defending world champion, posted a time of 19.99 seconds in heat 4, while Botswana’s Olympic titleholder Tebogo crossed the line in 20.18 seconds in the final heat of the evening.
“My body feels strong and is definitely waking up,” Lyles commented after his race. “My plan was to explode through the first 100 meters, and I executed that perfectly.” Yet, tougher challenges await them in the semi-finals, where they will face formidable competitors such as the USA’s Kenny Bednarek, Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, and Australia’s 17-year-old sprint prodigy Gout Gout, who earned enthusiastic applause from the crowd after finishing third in his debut at a major global meet.
In the opening heat, Alexander Ogando led the pack with a 20.10-second finish, edging out South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk, the 2016 Rio Olympic 400m champion and world record holder, who clocked 20.19 seconds. Ogando is aiming high this championship, declaring, “My target is gold and breaking some records along the way.”
Heat 2 featured impressive sub-20-second runs from Zimbabwe’s Tapiwanashe Makarawu (19.91 seconds) and the USA’s Courtney Lindsey (19.95 seconds), who claimed first and second places respectively. Jamaica’s Adrian Kerr secured the third automatic qualifying spot with a time of 20.13 seconds.
Kenny Bednarek appeared composed as he won his heat in 19.98 seconds. After narrowly missing a medal with a fourth-place finish in the 100m, the Oklahoma native is determined to reach the podium in the 200m.
One of the most thrilling heats included Lyles, Hughes, Canada’s Andre De Grasse, and Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh. Lyles showed no signs of nerves, flashing a grin and playfully sticking out his tongue at the crowd before comfortably winning the race.
De Grasse finished fourth in this heat, missing automatic qualification, but his time was sufficient to advance to the next round. Tebogo, running from the outside lane, overcame the disappointment of a false start that ended his 100m campaign days earlier. The 22-year-old sprint star surged to victory, dispelling any doubts and keeping alive his hopes for back-to-back major championship gold medals.
“When I arrived, my goal was to medal in both the 100m and 200m,” Tebogo shared. “Since the 100m didn’t go as planned, I’m now fully focused on the 200m.” In heat 5, Australia’s teenage sensation Gout received one of the loudest ovations of the night. The young sprinter did not disappoint, finishing third to secure an automatic berth in the semi-finals.
“This is an unforgettable experience, and I’m excited for the semi-finals,” Gout said. “Competing at the senior level feels completely different from the junior ranks; it’s incredible. The competition is fierce, and I have to rise to the occasion and prove myself.” The big question now is whether he can advance to his first final and continue to live up to the remarkable promise he has shown early in his career.
