Noah Lyles, 26, of the USA, has set the world’s best time of the season in the men’s 200m race, securing his qualification for the Paris Olympics. The highly anticipated Games, commencing on the 26th, could see Lyles challenge for a remarkable quadruple title.
On June 30th, Lyles triumphed in the men’s 200m final at the US Track and Field Team Trials at Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, clocking an impressive 19.53 seconds. This time surpassed the season’s previous best of 19.60 seconds, set by 26-year-old Cannis Bednarek in the semifinals. Bednarek finished second in the final with 19.59 seconds, while 20-year-old Elian Knighton took third with 19.77 seconds, ensuring all three sprinters a spot at the Paris Olympics.
Lyles also clinched victory in the men’s 100m final with a time of 9.83 seconds, positioning himself for a multiple title bid in Paris. The Associated Press has highlighted that Lyles may compete not only in the 100m and 200m, but also in the 4x100m and 4x400m relays, aiming for an unprecedented quadruple triumph.
Although Lyles has dominated the 200m at the World Championships, winning consecutive titles in Doha (2019), Eugene (2022), and Budapest (2023), an Olympic gold medal has eluded him. His best Olympic result to date is a third-place finish in the 200m at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Reflecting on that race, Lyles said, “Had I won the 200m in Tokyo, I might have become complacent. The disappointing result there fueled my determination.”
Lyles earned the moniker “Bolt’s successor” after winning the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at the Budapest World Championships last year. He became the first athlete since Usain Bolt to win three World Championships titles in a single event cycle, a feat last achieved by Bolt at the 2015 Beijing World Championships. Bolt, who holds world records in the men’s 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19), is celebrated for his historic triple-double Olympic victories in the 100m and 200m across the 2008 Beijing, 2012 London, and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. Bolt retired in 2017, leaving a legacy Lyles now seeks to build upon in Paris.