Noah Lyles slams door on 100m field at US Championships
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Noah Lyles (centre) defeats third-placed Kenny Bednarek (left) and fourth-placed Christian Coleman to win the 100m in 9.79sec during the USATF Championships at Icahn Stadium.
PHOTO: REUTERS
NEW YORK – Noah Lyles underlined his claim as the king of American track again on July 24, winning the 100m final in a world-leading 9.79 seconds at the US Championships, in an “off year” in which he is still determined to put on a show.
The Olympic champion exploded out of the blocks at Icahn Stadium and his lead was never in doubt as he broke the tape 0.09sec ahead of Ronnie Baker, with Kenny Bednarek (also 9.88sec) taking third in front of the New York crowd.
The win saw Lyles equal his personal best set at the spine-tingling final at the Paris Games two years ago and send a message: “Just because it is an off year doesn’t mean that I plan to run slow.
“I’m not even doing what I know I can do. We’re not at peak. We’re not at perfect technique. We’re nowhere near that. So I’m going to keep asking for more.
“Why settle for less?”
Lyles was set to run the 200m on July 25 (July 26, Singapore time).
The US championships typically serve as a qualifying meet for the world championships or Olympics and were deprived of some of their usual drama with neither of the global showpiece events on the calendar this time around.
But fans who made the trip to Randall’s Island were nonetheless treated to a handful of American track’s most appealing stars on July 24, with the 2023 world champion Sha’Carri Richardson making light work of a diminished women’s 100m field.
She cruised through the semi-finals with a wind-aided 10.78sec and clinched the title in 10.77sec, with Kayla White (10.90sec) and Tamari Davis (11.00sec) a distant second and third, and breezed past reporters nearly as quickly as she crossed the finish line.
The 17-year-old sensation Cooper Lutkenhaus won his 800m opening heat in 1:45.83, striking an optimistic tone with reporters ahead of the final on July 26.
“We executed our race honestly perfect for the first round. And you know, I felt really good at 1:45. Now it feels not so bad, so that’s a really good sign,” said Lutkenhaus, who won the world indoor championships over the distance earlier this year.
Wes Ferguson had the overall fastest time across all heats in 1:45.17.
The 2022 Under-20 champion Roisin Willis was the fastest woman of the day over the distance, finishing in 1:59.83, while Meghan Hunter was second-quickest in 2:00.38.
Aaliyah Butler cruised through the opening stage of the women’s 400m in 50.53sec, while fellow Paris Olympic 4x400m champion Alexis Holmes (51.71sec) also advanced.
World indoor silver medallist Khaleb McRae blitzed through the first round on the men’s side in 44.65sec, nearly half a second quicker than Chris Bailey, the next-fastest across the three heats. Olympic champion Quincy Hall failed to advance to the final after running 46.47sec in only his sixth start since the Paris Games, after injuries ruined his 2025 season. REUTERS
