World champion Noah Lyles beat teenager Erriyon Knighton to win the men’s 200m final at the US Athletics Championships.

The 18-year-old was ahead off the curve but Lyles overtook him on the straight while playfully pointing his finger in Knighton’s direction as he crossed the line in a time of 19.67 seconds.

Knighton ran 19.49 seconds in April – the fourth-fastest man over 200m.

“I do what it takes to win,” Lyles, 24, 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 took silver in 19.69, while Fred Kerley, who won the 100m on Friday, was third after clocking 19.83, meaning he took the final spot for the World Championships.

They are going to be staged on the same track in Eugene, Oregon, next month.

Sha’Carri Richardson is unlikely be there after failing to get past the semi-finals in the women’s 200m. She also failed to advance in the 100m earlier in the meet.

Richardson, who also missed the Tokyo Olympics last year after testing positive for cannabis, will only compete if she is selected for the relay team, but has refused to get too downbeat about her failure in qualifying.

“I describe this season as part of my journey and my journey is a long walk that is not over no matter critic, no matter media,” Richardson said.

It was Abby Steiner who took victory, improving on her world leading time by crossing in 21.77 seconds, having matched her previous time, 21.80, in the semi-finals just two hours earlier.

“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 took second in 21.92, despite setting the early pace, while Jena Prandini crossed in 22:01. Bronze medallist in Tokyo, Gabby Thomas, finished eighth while struggling with a torn hamstring, leaving her in tears.

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Rai Benjamin recorded this year’s fasted time of 47.04 seconds. He is now set for a mouth-watering clash with Karsten Warholm, the victor between the pair in Tokyo when they both finished under the world record time, as they meet at the worlds.