Every milestone becomes a target for the next contender in this competitive cosmos of sprinting. Fresh off his blazing 19.67-second run at the Doha Diamond League, Kenny Bednarek currently holds the world-leading time for the 200 meters in 2024. But this has not been embraced warmly by the man who thrives on challenges and record-breaking ambitions. Rather, it has been a catalyst behind Noah Lyles‘s aim to emerge as the fastest in every possible way.
While Noah Lyles has already been targeting to shatter the world record set by the Jamaican track legend Usain Bolt, the 26-year-old American is waiting for the right moment to top the charts. With Bednarek’s time now on the benchmark, Lyles has his eyes set on surpassing it at the upcoming 2024 NYC Grand Prix. His other major target is to break Tyson Gay’s long-standing American record in the 200 meters.
Will Lyles surpass ‘Kung Fu Kenny’ and break Tyson Gay’s record in the upcoming NYC Grand Prix?
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In a recent conversation with Citius Mag, Noah Lyles was caught on camera sharing his experience of attending the grand premiere of the most-awaited Netflix docu-series SPRINT. While Lyles shared his favorite moments from the series, he said, “…there was a part with Dennis and Sha’Carri, that I’m not going to lie gave me goosebumps”. In the same conversation, Lyles also shared how he has decided not to watch the series before the Paris Olympics as it “might humanize my (Lyles’s) competitors a little too much”.
While asked about how he has been gearing up for the season and how he views the fact that “Kung Fu Kenny” is currently the world lead after an electrifying 19.67-second dash in the Doha Diamond League, Lyles ensured that his eyes are firmly set on the same. Reflecting on the same Lyles added, “I mean world lead definitely is the goal anything on top of that is icing on the cake.” But that’s not where Lyles put a pause to his goals.
Noah Lyles further continued, “But I mean also looking at Tyson’s facility record you know 1958 I feel it just kind of needs to go and I’ve been close at it back in 22. I think I ran like 61 or 62 back then and I was like yeah I should have broke that record then but no. I feel that it’s definitely time for it to go, especially after coming off of a 9.85 performance in the 100 I’m like, yeah, I’m in shape. I’m seeing all the numbers that prove that it’s time to get back in the group.”
Tyson Gay’s formidable American record stands at 19.58 seconds, set back in 2009. And Lyles besides all his other pursuits is also gunning for Gay’s blistering 19.58-second record in the 200-meter dash. But only shattering the records of Bednarek and Tyson Gay does not conclude Noah Lyles’ list of goals for this season.
Can Noah Lyles achieve the ultimate sprinting feat by surpassing Bolt and dominating the Paris Olympics?
Lyles is also hoping to dethrone Bolt by shattering the world record, which has remained untouched since the 2009 World Championships. And Lyles has declared, “I know that I’m going to break it”, because he believes, “World records are meant to be broken. It’s just another goal to check off the list, and it’s always fun to go after the top.”
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It’s not just clocking 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds that Lyles is aiming. He wants to achieve the pedestal which has not been achieved by even Usain Bolt. Besides Bolt, Lyles has become the only man to grab the spring treble in World Championships. However, that doesn’t satisfy Lyles’ craving to be the best. Noah Lyles now aims for a quadruple in the upcoming summer Olympics. “I can grab three but Bolt has done that. I can do two Olympics in a row, but Bolt has done that too,” added Lyles, sharing his dreams.
With the NYC Grand Prix on the horizon, Lyles isn’t just aiming to claim the 2024 top spot. Rather, he is looking to add a new page to the American track history. Lyles’ confidence and ambition signal a thrilling showdown ahead. But with so many aims on the list, will Noah Lyles emerge victorious in the upcoming track battles and aim for the ultimate international glory?
