The Tokyo Olympics 2020 bronze medalist, Noah Lyles, blazed to triumph in just 14.56 seconds, securing his position as the third fastest athlete ever in the 150m.
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Noah Lyles emerged victorious as he claimed top victory against fellow American sprinter Erriyon Knighton on Saturday, clinching first place in the 150m event at the inaugural Atlanta City Games. This win comes as Lyles intensifies his training in anticipation of defending his 200m title at the 2023 World Championships. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 bronze medalist, Noah Lyles, blazed to triumph in just 14.56 seconds, securing his position as the third swiftest athlete ever in the 150m, trailing only Jamaican legend Usain Bolt and fellow American Tyson Gay. It should be noted that the 150m is not an officially recognized event by World Athletics.
Nineteen-year-old Erriyon Knighton, who earned a bronze medal in the men’s 200m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, finished as runner-up with a personal best of 14.85 seconds. Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, claimed third place with a 14.89-second finish. Omanyala’s performance surpassed Frankie Fredericks’ previous best, setting a new African Record for the 150m event.
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Although Lyles didn’t begin at his best in the initial 10 meters, he picked up speed impressively. He recalled, “I was getting to the end of that track, and I was like, ‘Well, I’m running out of gas, but I’m going to make sure I get through this line fast.'” Indeed, Lyles managed to do so, grasping the tape in his hand. Even though he recorded the third-fastest time ever, he had aspired to edge closer to Usain Bolt‘s world record of 14.35 seconds from 2009 in Birmingham. Tyson Gay achieved a 14.41-second time in a 200m race in 2010 in Manchester. However, Lyles remained positive, saying, “But it’s all right. It’s a PR, it’s a step forward. I did do what I wanted to do, though, which was go 100% from the get-go, command the race by 70 meters and run away with it.”
Aleia Hobbs produced an exceptional performance, registering a time of 10.99 seconds in the women’s 100m final after achieving 10.93 seconds in the preliminary round. Her season’s best stands at 10.86 seconds. Meanwhile, the two-time world champion Grant Holloway secured a world-leading time of 13.01 seconds in the 110m hurdles. He celebrated the win with a triumphant fist pump at the finish line. Holloway’s excitement grew upon learning that his training partner, Robert Dunning, attained a personal best of 13.09 seconds, cutting 0.14 seconds off his previous record. In another surprising result, Tia Jones, the 2018 U20 world champion who turned professional after high school, got the better of US record-holder Keni Harrison in the 100m hurdles final. Jones finished with a time of 12.50 seconds, narrowly edging out Harrison’s 12.53 seconds.
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