Noah Lyles fulfilled the first part of his goal on Sunday: to achieve the 100m/200m double at the World Championships in Athletics. The American indeed dominated the 100m on Sunday in Budapest
In 9 sec 83 (zero wind), the best world performance of the year equaled, Lyles beat the Botswanan Letsile Tebogo (9.88), who at 20 becomes the first African to climb on the world podium in this distance, and the Briton Zharnel Hughes (9.88). The sprinter also gleaned the fourth consecutive American title over the distance, with four different athletes (Justin Gatlin, Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley).
Lyles believes in the double
Willingly showman, Lyles can therefore hope to succeed Usain Bolt, the last to have succeeded in the men’s double in 2015. “The year 2022 showed me that it was possible (titled in 200m, he had tried at meetings). I had started to work on the 100m without it affecting my speed in the 200m. This allowed me to focus this season on the 100m. And by working on the 100m, I will improve my first half of the 200m race, ”he explained during the press conference which followed his title.
The 26-year-old American has won his bet, that of dominating the spectacular straight line, after having already left his mark on the 200m, of which he is the double reigning champion and 3rd performer of all time (19.31 in 2022). For this, he applied his preferential race pattern over 100m: a less bloody start than his competitors, but a superb terminal speed. “It was pure Noah Lyles. I wanted to stay in contact until the 60m and then I just had to do my thing”, he analyzed.
The sprinter now has an appointment in the 200m from Wednesday to Friday (series, semi-finals then final), where he announced that he wanted to beat Bolt’s world record (19.19 in 2009) before competing in the 4x100m relay at the end of the week.