Why Noah Lyles is happy with his 100m season opener in Tokyo

Olympic champion Noah Lyles has termed his performance at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix 'a great way to start the season', having started his 100m outdoor season with a 9.95 (0.6m/s) to win the last race on the programme.

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Lyles was making a return to the Tokyo’s National Stadium where he claimed World 200m and 4x100m titles in September last year, as well as his first Olympic medal five years ago.

The venue played host to the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting on Sunday, 17 May, with the eight- time World champion putting on a show to go sub-10.

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He joins a growing list of 100m runners who have already dipped under 10 seconds, a list led by Botswana's Collen Busang Kebinatshipi after clocking an impressive 9.89 seconds at the Botswana National Trials last month.

"I’m happy with the race, I’m happy with the time," Lyles told World Athletics. "It’s a great way to start the season. It wasn't my fastest, but it was definitely in my top five fastest season openers, so I'd say it was very worth the journey and I'm excited that I got to have it in a fun place like Tokyo."

His 18-year-old compatriot Tate Taylor was second in 10.04 and another 18-year-old, Great Britain's Jake Odey-Jordan, third in 10.09.

His compatriots Jordan Anthony and Rai Benjamin also secured sprint wins, with world indoor 60m champion Jordan Anthony taking the 200m in 20.05 and world 400m hurdles champion Benjamin winning the 400m flat in 44.69 seconds.

Antony was followed home by compatriot Courtney Lindsey in 20.28 as home runner Towa Uzawa clocked 20.33 seconds for third place.

Meanwhile, Benjamin finished ahead of Zambia's Muzala Samukonga who clocked 44.83 as American Vernon Norwood timed 45.22 seconds to complete the podium places.