Felix shines in Inspiration Games, but track glitch foils Lyles

ZURICH: American Allyson Felix impressed in the innovative Inspiration Games on Thursday, but a track glitch saw Noah Lyles fall short in his quest for victory in the 200m.

Six-time Olympic gold medallist Felix scorched to victory in the women’s rarely-run 150m, one of eight disciplines at seven venues across the globe.

Felix, running in Walnut, California, clocked 16.81sec, with Shaunae Miller-uibo of the Bahamas in second in 17.15sec ater geting a synchronised start on the track in Bradenton, Florida.

“It’s very strange,” said the American, who has 18 career world championship medals including 13 gold.

“It’s hard to challenge yourself. But I love this sport, so any chance to get out there and run, I’ll take it.”

She later anchored the US team to victory in the 3x100m relay.

There was initial shock, and then frustration, for Lyles, the world 200m champion whose form on the track and bubbly personality has seen him hailed as a natural successor to Usain Bolt.

Running solo, the American clocked what seemd an unlikely, yet staggering, 18.90sec over the 200m. But it soon came to light that he had been given the wrong startline and ran just 185 metres of the race, the win eventually going to France’s Christophe Lemaitre in 20.65sec.

“You can’t be playing with my emotions like this.... got me in the wrong lane smh (shaking my head),” Lyles tweeted with an emoji of someone covering up their face.

The globe-spanning competition, pitching Europe against North America and the rest of the world, was the brainwave of organisers of the Zurich Diamond League, cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

There was another unusual event for the male sprinters: the 100 yards, which was included in the Commonwealth Games until 1966 and is still held in the United States in certain competitions.

The sole race with the three athletes in the same place, Bradenton, saw Canada’s Andre de Grasse sweep through the line in 9.68sec.

Frenchman Jimmy Vicaut was on his heels in 9.72sec, with Jamaican Olympic 110m hurdles champion Omar Mcleod third (9.87).

“I’m glad I got to come out here and get a run in,” said De Grasse, who won silver ( 200m) and bronze (100m) at last year’s world champs in Doha.

“It was fun!”