Paris, Aug. 6, (dpa/GNA) – American Noah Lyles returned to the Stade de France the day after his Olympic 100 metres gold to win the 200m heat as his bid for a sprint double continued on Monday.

Women’s 100m champion Julien Alfred of St Lucia is already a round further as she reached Tuesday’s 200m final.

Lyles had another slow start before running away on the home straight to win his heat in 20.19 seconds.

That was the sixth best time overall, with team-mate Kenneth Bednarek leading the way into the semi-finals with 19.96 seconds ahead of the third American, Erriyon Kighton, who had 19.99.

Lyles won the 100m gold in dramatic fashion in a personal best 9.79 seconds on Sunday, five-thousandths of a second ahead of Jamaican Kishane Thompson. For the first time all finalists dipped below 10 seconds, and the eight were separated by a mere 12 hundredths.

Also into the 200m semis went 400m world record holder Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, and Canada’s Andre de Grasse, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist ahead of Bednarek and Lyles.

On the women’s side, Alfred eased up before the finish line to win her semi-final im 21.98 seconds. American season leader Gabby Thomas made her ambitions clear to get gold after Tokyo bronze and 2023 worlds silver with a semis-best 21.86.

Also through are former world champion Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and, compatriot Daryll Neita and American Brittany Brown.

Four finals were scheduled for Monday night, the women’s 800m, 5,000m and discus throw, and the men’s pole vault.

GNA