Lyles, Bednarek throw down at US nationals

Noah Lyles landed the day's biggest blow on the track, passing Kenny Bednarek for the win, but not before looking his way to talk some trash.

Bednarek's answer was a two-handed shove in the back after the finish line, some more heated words and a challenge for a rematch that can't come soon enough.

The pair's shoving and shouting match came during the US track championships at the end of a hotly contested 200m final at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, on Sunday.

"Like I've said before, Noah's going to be Noah," Bednarek said. "If he wants to stare me down, that's fine."

Lyles reeled in Bednarek and crossed in 19.63 seconds for a 0.04-second victory that sets up a rematch at world championships on Sept 19 in Tokyo.

The best action in Round 1 came after the finish line.

There was jawing, the shove and, then, Lyles turning around, backpedaling, reaching his arms out and bouncing up and down like a boxer before lobbing a few more choice words at Bednarek.

Their argument bled into the start of what is normally a celebratory NBC winner's interview.

"I tell ya, if you've got a problem, I expect a call," Bednarek said, as the network's Lewis Johnson moved the mic between the feuding runners.

Lyles replied: "You know what? You're right. You're right. Let's talk after this."

Though they shook hands during that tense post-race interview, Bednarek was fired up well after the sprinters had left the track.

"The summary is, don't do that to me," he said.

"I don't do any of that stuff. It's not good character right there. That's pretty much it. At the end of the day, he won the race. I've got to give him props. He was the better man today."

The win itself was no big surprise for Lyles, the three-time defending world champion who will have to get past Bednarek to make it four in Tokyo. Bednarek was asked what Lyles said as he turned around and gloated after securing his fifth national title at his favorite distance.

"What he said didn't matter, it's just what he did," Bednarek said. "Unsportsmanlike shit and I don't deal with that. It's a respect factor.

"He's fresh. Last time we lined it up, I beat him, that's all I can say. Next time we line up, I'm going to win. That's all that matters."

Asked to expand on his role in the tiff, Lyles was less forthcoming: "On coach's orders, no comment."

As is common in a year after the Olympics — and in an era after Usain Bolt — track is a sport desperately in need of some energy. Who else to provide it than Lyles? On the men's side of US track, he's arguably the sport's most engaging character.