Not Noah Lyles, But U20 World Champion Becomes Fred Kerley’s Fresh Rival After Hurricane Invitational

The U20 World Champion is firing it up once again. And looking at the 25-year-old athlete’s recent dash, Fred Kerley has enough to be worried about. As the Olympics are approaching, more and more athletes are trying to bring out their A-game. Going with the trend, the recently concluded outdoor practice saw a new threat emerge in the track and field discipline, and well, it was not Noah Lyles.

While Noah Lyles is being touted as one of the major frontrunners in the Paris Olympics, his brother is also not far behind. Josephus Lyles, who won the IAAF World U20 Championships in the 4x400m relay in 2014, kickstarted his outdoor season in style. Josephus ran steadily to pick up a win clocking an impressive 10.14s in the 100m dash. After the race, the 25-year-old seemed to be pretty much content with the performance. 

Taking to his Instagram, Josephus Lyles uploaded a video of his victory and captioned it, “Start the outdoor season with a smooth 10.14. God is good. Now back to work. 🙇🏿‍♂️” Such a performance will definitely keep Fred Kerley on the edge as he will have to face the threat of Josephus Lyles as well alongside his brother Noah. 

Meanwhile, in the recently held Hurricane Invitational, Kerley was in his element as he clocked 10.03s to finish the 100m challenge. Incidentally, Kerley has been out of action for five months. However, the last time he took to the tracks, Kerley recorded a time of 9.96s in the Diamond League event in September 2023. However, as good a form as Kerley is in, Josephus too, is aiming to impress in Paris after a disappointing Tokyo attempt. 

Josephus Lyles aims to make the Paris 2024 US team

It was a heartbreak for Josephus Lyles after he could not manage to make it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics team. Luckily, the failure did not deter him, as the athlete went on to grind even harder than before. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Josephus stated that it would be a dream come true for him if he could compete at the Olympics alongside his brother, Noah Lyles. 

Reflecting about his previous outing, Josephus said, “In 2021, I didn’t make the team, but that wasn’t for me at that time. But a dream delayed is not denied. When I try out for the team in 2024, I know I’m going to be prepared. So, making that team is going to mean the world to me.” Thus, with renewed vigor, Josephus Lyles will surely be the one to watch while Paris comes closer. 

Continue to Read: Breaking: Noah Lyles Drops Absolute Shocker for America at World Indoor Championships