Two of the world’s greatest athletes locked horns on Wednesday, conjuring up spectacles galore on one of sport’s greatest stages.
No, we’re not talking about LeBron James and Ja Morant’s duel. Nor are we referencing the epic battle between Stephen Curry and Jayson Tatum atop TD Garden’s parquet floor.
Rather, the matchup that took the sporting world by storm revolved around two world-class sprinters: Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles and 19-year-old YouTube supernova IShowSpeed.
The two put forth a racing performance for the ages on Wednesday night. Fortunately for us, cameras were there to capture each and every step as it happened.
With that, here’s what you need to know about Lyles and Speed’s run for the roses.
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Noah Lyles vs. IShowSpeed video
Lyles and Speed tested wits in an undisclosed location, jostling for speed supremacy across 50m.
The prize? Eternal glory … and a $100,000 payout from famed YouTuber Mr. Beast.
Across the first 25 or so meters, Speed and Lyles canceled each other, going stride-for-stride as they raced across the claret track. At around 30m, Lyles found his form, sweeping beyond the 19-year-old Speed to claim victory — and all the prize money that came with it.
Following the conclusion of the race, Lyles offered to give Speed some instructions and run it back with the teenager at the end of the week, this time across 100m.
“You should practice with me and then at the end of the week, we’ll race again,” Lyles told Speed on the https://twitter.com/scubaryan_/status/1854324402818552201 (via NBC 10 Philadelphia). “…You’ll be faster, you’ll know what to do, you’ll have the techniques, you’ll have the advantage. And then we can run the real man’s race, the 100m.”
Speed, lacking formal training, continued to assert that he outshone Lyles in pure speed.
“I never ran track a day in my life,” Speed said. “Like, bro, in raw speed I’m faster than you. In raw speed.”
Lyles wasn’t too convinced.
“Are you?” Lyles wittingly responded. “…I didn’t even hit top speed.”
“You tapped out with 30 meters to go. I was looking at you, bruh. Because I had that time, you know?”
MORE: How many medals has Noah Lyles won?
How fast is Noah Lyles?
Lyles is the fastest man in the world across 100 meters, capturing Olympic gold with a scorching 9.79s run in Paris, 0.0005s faster than that of second-place Kishane Thompson.
Lyles’ 9.79s showing at the Stade de France is the third-fastest performance among men sprinters in 2024, bested only by Thompson (9.77s) and Ferdinand Omanyala (9.79s).
Here are the fastest 100-meter times run across the world in 2024:
| Time | Athlete | Venue |
| 9.77 | Kishan Thompson | National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica |
| 9.79 | Ferdinand Omanya | Nyayo National Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya |
| 9.79 | Noah Lyles | Stade de France, Paris, France |
| 9.81 | Fred Kerley | Stade de France, Paris, France |
| 9.81 | Oblique Seville | Stade de France, Paris, France |
| 9.82 | Akani Simbine | Stade de France, Paris, France |
| 9.85 | Lamont Marcell Jacobs | Stade de France, Paris, France |
| 9.86 | Christian Coleman | Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore. |
| 9.86 | Benjamin Richardson | Stade de La Charriere, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland |
| 9.87 | Kenneth Bednarek | Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore. |
| 9.89 | Ackeem Blake | Stadion Slask, Chorzow, Poland |
Who is IShowSpeed?
IShowSpeed, real name Darren Watkins Jr., is a streamer best known for his work on YouTube and Twitch.
Speed has 33 million subscribers to his name on YouTube. He’s become one of YouTube’s most popular acts in recent years, gaining popularity not only for his hijinks but also for his athletic feats. He’s even collaborated with his sporting icon, Al Nassr and Portugal standout Cristiano Ronaldo.
