Noah Lyles vs Erriyon Knighton: Everything You Need to Know About US Track Rivalry

This year, the track and field world has witnessed many salty rivalries. Sha’Carri Richardson competed against Jamaican legend Elaine Thompson-Herah to clinch the top position on the podium. Italian Olympian Marcel Jacobs and Fred Kerley have also developed an on-track rivalry to attain gold on the 100-meter tracks of Budapest for their respective countries. After Bolt completed the 100m race in the 2009 World Championships, he lost his zeal to compete. Surprisingly, it was Gatlin’s video that motivated him to compete once again. The tracks athlete recounted how he saw a video of Gatlin in which Gatlin was asked whether he could defeat the world’s fastest man. Reacting to this, Gatlin had replied, “I’m going to beat him and I’m going to wear my gold medal round my neck like a gold chain.” This led to the beginning of their rivalry, which became famous in the world.

Interestingly, along similar lines, a rivalry between two of the fastest men has grabbed the attention of the world. Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton, who can be frequently spotted in the lineup together, have been in a heated competition to bring back the grandeur of the United States in athletics. Interestingly, the two athletes have been known to go head-to-head since the 2022 outdoor season, adding further complexity to their infamous rivalry since then.

How did Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton’ rivalry begin?

Both Eririyon Knighton and Noah Lyles soared to fame after participating in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Noah, with a speed of 19.74, clinched the bronze, while Knighton secured fourth place at the age of 17. However, after the start of the 2022 season, the rivalry between the two athletes began to escalate as Knighton challenged even Lyles’s set records.

The rivalry kicked in after Erriyon Knighton, at the age of 18, hit the headlines for breaking Noah Lyles’s record. He became the world’s fourth fastest man (currently fifth) with a time of 19.49 seconds at the LSU Invitational. This staunch performance by Knighton led the world to expect the sprinter to break Usain Bolt’s 19.19-second record soon.

However, in 2022, at the USATF Championships, Lyles regained his 200-meter dominance on the tracks by winning the event in 19.67 seconds, while Knighton had to settle for the second position (19.69). After this race, Lyles celebrated his win by pointing toward Erriyon Knighton’s lane and flexing his triumph, giving way to the arch-rivalry. Since then, the two athletes have competed at various events to show their dominance on the track. However, Lyles, with the back-to-back staunch performances since 2022, has led the 19-year-old Knighton to face disappointments on several occasions.

Times when Lyles beat Knighton at various events

After the unexpected rise of Noah Lyles at the USATF, the 26-year-old sprinter went on to etch his name in the history of athletics by breaking a legendary record of 19.32 seconds set by Michael Johnson in 1996, at the 2022 World Athletics Championship. The 26-year-old champion became the world champion by finishing the 200-meter track in 19.31 seconds. Interestingly, in the same race, Knighton won his first world championship title by securing a third place on the podium.

Amid breaking Michael Johnson’s record at the World Athletics Championship, the athlete began his 2023 season by surpassing Knighton at the 2023 Atlanta City Games. The 26-year-old finished the 150-meter race in 14.56 seconds to become the world’s third-fastest man in over 150 meters trailing behind Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay. While Knighton could only secure silver by clocking in 14.85 seconds.

Lastly, in August, Knighton once again missed out on gold to Lyles at the 2023 World Athletics Championship. Lyles successfully defended his 200-meter title by finishing the race in 19.51 seconds, while Knighton upgraded to a sliver by clocking in 19.75. Interestingly, after this race, newly crowned world champion Noah Lyles once again faced Knighton on the Swiss tracks. The 26-year-old faced a strong challenge from his teammate at the event but was able to maintain his winning streak.

Noah Lyles’ feat at the recent Zurich Diamond League

Weeks after the eventful 2023 World Athletics Championships, Noah Lyles and Erriyon Knighton geared up their spikes for the men’s 200m of the Zurich Diamond League. The race began with 19-year-old Knighton taking the lead on the 200-meter tracks; however, Lyles quickly matched the pace of the sprinter as the duo were seen running neck and neck in opposite lanes.

At last, Lyles was able to surpass the sprinter to win the event in 19.80, just seven seconds ahead of Knighton, who clocked in at 19.87. However, despite the recent wins of Noah Lyles on the track, both the athletes had an extraordinary season this year. Over the years, the two athletes have also secured many notable achievements under their belt.

Champion Noah Lyles and prodigy Erriyon Knighton’s notable achievements

Noah Lyles is one of the most decorated track and field athletes. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lyles became an Olympic champion by clinching a bronze for his country. The 26-year-old has also won six world championship titles so far. In 2019, the sprinter won the gold in the 200m, followed by a record-breaking win at the 2022 Eugene 200m final. However, in the  2023 Worlds, the athlete reached the pinnacle. Besides managing to defend his 200m title, Lyles also secured a gold in the 100m men’s final with his personal best of 9.83 seconds. In 2023, Lyles also broke Usain Bolt’s sub-20 record. On the tracks of London, the sprinter won his 35th 200m race under 20 seconds.