What defines a legend in track and field? Breaking records, without a doubt! But has anyone ever broken Usain Bolt’s 100m and 200m records? Nobody can hold a candle to him, but people try. However, records are constantly being challenged; it’s only a matter of time before the baton is passed. Did you know who has the most sub-20-second runs in the 200 meters? Well, it’s not Usain Bolt, but Noah Lyles, who aims to win 4 gold medals at the Paris Olympics! Usain Bolt has 34 sub-20-second runs, while Lyles has 37. But there’s a dark horse/underdog who could be a threat to Lyles in Paris.

And guess what? It’s not Erriyon Knighton or Letsile Tebogo, but ‘Kung Fu’ Kenny Bednarek, who won a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2022 World Championships. Bednarek seems all set to challenge Lyles, showing that, in track and field, the race is never over until it’s done and dusted. While Erriyon Knighton has broken the sub-20 barrier 18 times and Letsile Tebogo only managed it 8 times, Bednarek has achieved this feat 24 times by putting him on par with Frank Fredericks. The anticipated showdown in the 200m event between Lyles and Kenny at the Paris Olympics promises to be a battle with both athletes gearing up to give their best performance on the track.

On the 30th of June in the trials, Bednarek finished second to Lyles in the 200-meter final. He completed the race in 19.59 seconds while Lyles crossed the finish line at 19.53 seconds. “I felt like I was winning and pretty much just tightened at the end, so that’s the only reason that he got me,” Bednarek told reporters after the 200m race. He got the better of me this time. What matters is beating him at the Olympics” – he quipped rather heroically and boldly.

But Lyles’s best in 200m is 19.31 while Bednarek’s is 19.59. What about the rest? Letsile Tebogo holds a time of 19.50 and Erriyon Knighton clocked in at 19.49. However, Usain Bolt remains the title holder at a time of 19.19.

While Bednarek sees Lyles as a big threat, Lyles is equally confident as he states, “He (Usain Bolt) was the fastest man ever to do it, and soon, it’ll be me.”Lyles also posted a reel on July 2nd proclaiming, “America, I got this!” But can Lyles really break Usain Bolt’s record? Like really or are these just tall claims?

Is Noah Lyles on track to outrun Usain Bolt’s legacy?

Usain Bolt’s best in the 100m is an astonishing 9.58 seconds, achieved in 2009, while Lyles’ personal best is 9.83 seconds, set in 2023. In the 200m race, Bolt holds the record at 19.19 seconds while Lyles’s fastest time is 19.31 seconds achieved in 2022. Lyles expressed confidence, after matching his best of 9.83 seconds at the U.S. Trials, saying, “Yeah, why not… That’s my plan ” indicating his ambition to surpass Bolts’ records. His performance this year was evident, in the 200m trials where he clocked in at 19.53 seconds. Setting a world lead and meeting record!

Noah Lyles is up against competition from Bolt’s fellow Jamaicans, Kishane Thompson and Oblique Seville. Thompson currently holds the title of the man in 2024 with a time of 9.77 seconds while Seville’s time of 9.82 seconds narrowly surpasses Lyles’s best by 0.01 seconds. Despite this, Lyles shows improvement each year demonstrating that he’s not one to rest on his laurels.

The burning question lingers; Can he surpass Usain Bolt’s record? With his advancements, it appears he stands a chance. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Lyles is ready to give it his all, come rain or shine, and hopes to pull out all the stops to achieve his dream. What do you think?