The China Mail - World champ Lyles edges Knighton at US trials

The 18-year-old Knighton, who stunned the athletics world with a time of 19.49sec in May, held a commanding lead coming off the curve but Lyles remorselessly chased him down, playfully pointing a finger in Knighton's direction as they barrelled across the line.

"I do what it takes to win," Lyles said. "Erriyon got the best of me on the turn -- I wasn't worried about it. I said I'm going to catch him. I'm going to take the rest of this 100 and that's what I did."

Knighton finished second in 19.69 and Fred Kerley, who posted times of 9.76 and 9.77 on the way to a 100m victory on Friday, was third in 19.83 to nab the third berth for the World Championships, which will be held on the same Hayward Field track in Eugene on July 15-24.

Abby Steiner continued her upward trajectory in the women's 200m, improving her own world-leading time with a victory in 21.77sec.

Two hours earlier, Steiner had matched the previous world-leading time of 21.80 in the semi-finals as she continues to shine in a season that saw her claim the NCAA collegiate title this month.

"Coming off a collegiate season, a lot of people want to put limitations on you, say you're going to be burned out," she said, adding that she believes she can carry her form through Worlds.

"Me and my coach trust the process."

Tamara Clark set the early pace but finished second in 21.92 while Jenna Prandini was third in 22.01.

Tokyo bronze medallist Gabby Thomas, who is nursing a torn hamstring, finished eighth. The disappointment left her in tears, but she vowed to continue training with the aim of completing the Diamond League season.

Spring darling Sha'Carri Richardson bowed out in the 200m semi-finals, failing to earn a World Championships team berth after crashing out of the first round of the 100m.

She, too, said she'd redirect her attention to the Diamond League.

- Allen grabs 110 hurdles berth -

Rai Benjamin, silver medallist at the 2019 Worlds and the Tokyo Games last year, posted the fastest time in the world this year in winning the 400m hurdles in 47.04sec.

Benjamin improved on the previous season-leading 47.23 posted by Alison Dos Santos at the Eugene Diamond League in May and provided a tantalizing glimpse of what the event could offer at Worlds, where he'll be aiming to avenge his loss to Karsten Warholm in the Tokyo final -- when both ran under the previous world record.

The 110m hurdles produced a nail-biter, with Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Devon Allen barely making the team.

Defending world champion Grant Holloway skipped the final, which was won by Daniel Roberts in 13.03sec. Trey Cunningham was second in 13.08.

Allen, who caused shockwaves around the sport when he beat Holloway with the third-fastest time ever at the New York Grand Prix, narrowly edged Jamal Britt for third, both credited with a time of 13.09.

Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Athing Mu held off the late challenge of Ajee Wilson to win the women's 800m in 1:57.16.

Mu couldn't match the world-leading time of 1:57.01 she set at the Rome Diamond League, but she had enough at the end to hold off the hard-charging Ajee with Raevyn Rogers third in 1:57.96 to grab a World Championships berth.

T.Luo--ThChM