Phenomenon Noah Lyles dominated a fiery 200m at the US Olympic trials and will be able to dream of a quadruple at the Paris Games, while Sha’Carri Richardson missed her race and will have to settle for the straight.
Loud-mouthed Noah Lyles, triple world champion last summer in Budapest (100, 200, 4x100m) has been repeating for months that he intends to make history at the Olympic Games in Paris (July 26 – August 11) with an unprecedented quadruple, by adding the 4x400m to his glorious program from last year.
The first part of his contract is fulfilled: brilliant winner of the 100m last week then the 200m on Saturday, Noah Lyles emerges strengthened from the formidable American Trials, and advances as favorite for the podiums in Paris, he who dreams of gold after having “only” won bronze in the 200m in Tokyo in 2021.
Over 200m, his kingdom as three-time reigning world champion, Lyles charged forward to set the world’s best performance of the year in 19sec 53 (0.5m/s wind).
“I am where I wanted to be, we had built the training to have a first peak of form this week. We still have work to do until the Olympics, some details to settle“, did he declare.
Bednarek and Knighton accompany him.
Vice-world champion in the 60m indoors this winter, the 26-year-old sprinter seems stronger than ever, and almost untouchable on the half-lap of the track, where he has won 25 times in a row, since the last Olympic final.
“On a personal level, I still have two things to do to be considered one of the greatest in my sport: win an Olympic title and set a world record“, he hopes. On Saturday, he managed to put down a formidable opposition.
Olympic runner-up Kenny Bednarek fought hard to set a new record (19.59), making him the 10th best in the history of the discipline, but came up against Lyles, whom he will accompany in Paris in the 100 and 200 m. The young Erriyon Knighton (20 years old) completed the trio (19.77), to repeat in order the treble of the 2022 World Championships achieved in this same stadium at Hayward Field.
Fourth in Tokyo in 2021, Knighton managed to shine in his first summer competition. Tested positive for a steroid in March, the Floridian was provisionally suspended by anti-doping, before being cleared shortly before the Trials, the authorities retaining the theory put forward of food contamination. As in the 100m, Christian Coleman only took 4th place (19.89) and will have to settle for the 4x100m relay in Paris.
Richardson misses his final, Thomas takes advantage
A little earlier, the surprise came from the women’s 200m final missed by the queen of the 100m Sha’Carri Richardson, only 4th (22.16, 0.6 m/s wind) and therefore out of the qualifying places for the Games, where she will only compete in the 100m and the 4x100m relay.
Brilliant winner of the 100m last week, Richardson nevertheless impressed during the heats (21.99) then on Friday in the semi-final (21.92) leaving a great impression of ease.
The flamboyant Dallas native received a warning in the half for a foot placed on the inside line. On Saturday, she clearly missed her start by moving to her right, as if to be sure not to make any mistakes, but was never able to make up for this messed up launch.
The race was dominated by Gabby Thomas (21.81), bronze medalist in the half-lap at the Tokyo Games in 2021 and vice-world champion last summer. Vice-world champion in the specialty in Doha in 2019, Brittany Brown (21.90) will compete at 29 years old in her first Olympic Games, as will the young McKenzie Long (21.91, 23 years old).
In the long jump, world indoor champion Tara Davis-Woodhall scared herself by biting her first two attempts, before finally winning the competition with a jump of 7.00 m (2.6 m/s wind , not approved) to validate your ticket for Paris.
Olympic 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone cruised through the semi-final in 52 sec 48, the best world time of the season, and is expected to shine in the final on Sunday, the last day of the Trials.
