Before taking the track for his 200m season opener, Noah Lyles had set a goal for himself and it had been the ‘world lead’. But he could not hold himself from expressing his greater ambition. The 26-year-old sprinter had said, “But I mean also looking at Tyson’s facility record you know 19:58 I feel it just kind of needs to go and I’ve been close at it back in ‘22.” However, Noah Lyles finished the NYC Grand Prix today slightly behind, at 19.77 seconds, achieving his season best. He missed the best American clocking by 0.19 seconds. Yet, according to his post-race conversation, he wasn’t very unhappy with the result, as well as his transformation into the athlete he is today. 

After topping the leaderboard in the 200m event in the Icahn Stadium, Noah Lyles looked much more relieved with his transformation from the self that had earned the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics. 3 years ago, Noah had taken 19.74 seconds to finish off the race and today he was 0.03 seconds slow. That could have left him in agony when he was running to take “all the medals” this season. In contrast, Noah Lyles responded, “I’m more energetic for sure. I’m not depressed” when he was asked to give his take on his transformation since his 200m race in Tokyo. His subsequent elaboration dived into a positive part.

Since the 200m race in the Tokyo Olympics, Noah Lyles has yet to face a loss in the 200m event. And according to him, the reason is his enjoyment of the event. Peeling the matter, he said, “Anytime I step on the line no matter if I’ve had a bad block day or had a bad warm-up. It’s like all right at least I’m here and I’m not depressed and always having that mentality makes me say ‘Okay I know I’m going to run faster than such and such’.”  

The data thoroughly speaks for him as today as well, he remained 0.38 seconds earlier than his chaser to cross the finishing line. But would it be sufficient when the 200m heavy hitters are at large? 

Noah Lyles may face his nemesis in the coming days 

In Tokyo, Noah Lyles had to face his defeat to Andre De Grasse and Kenneth Bednarek. However, Andre has yet to touch the sub-19 timing in the 200m event this season. But Kenneth Bednarek has continued his dream run in the event. The 25-year-old American sprinter holds the world lead (19.67 seconds) in the 200m sprint this season. Surprisingly, Noah Lyles will not get a chance to face him before the US Olympic Trials, scheduled in Oregon in a few weeks. In the meantime, Kenny left a jibe for Noah who had once vowed to break Kenny’s world lead in the 200m race. 

Taking a laugh on the 6-time world champion’s ambition, the Olympian only said, “He’s feeling a little left out right now so uh but yeah I mean I love that he said that…he’s a fierce competitor and yeah like he want he wants to get it then let him have it I mean I’m I’m not going to roll over.” Well, in that sense, Kenny Bednarek has won the first battle after today’s race. However, Noah did not hold himself in challenging a loftier peak, Usain Bolt’s 19.10-second timing in the 200m event. 

In his several videos, Noah Lyles spent a sizable time speaking about his wish to break Bolt’s world record in the coming days. The title of one such video, “road to 19.10s” speaks volumes on that wish. Will Noah Lyles turn the table this time? He says he would. What do you think?