Noah Lyles Dominates in Nail-Biting 200m Olympic Final

PARIS, France — Noah Lyles, newly crowned as the World’s Fastest Man, sought to etch his name in history by winning the 200 meters. However, he fell short, finishing third behind Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and American Kenny Bednarek. Just days ago, Lyles clinched a dramatic 100m victory by a mere five thousandths of a second.

Tebogo seized gold with a time of 19.46 seconds. Bednarek followed with 19.62 seconds, while Lyles posted 19.70 seconds. American Erriyon Knighton finished just off the podium, clocking in at 19.99 seconds.

In an unexpected turn of events, Lyles dropped to the track immediately after finishing and was attended by trainers before walking to a nearby bench. The 200 meters was slated to be the simpler half of his ambitious Olympic sprint double.

Achieving gold medals in both the 100 and 200 meters in a single Olympics is a rare accomplishment. Usain Bolt completed this impressive feat in three consecutive Games—Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio de Janeiro 2016. Prior to Bolt, Carl Lewis last achieved it in Los Angeles in 1984.

Lyles, who had remained unbeaten in the 200 meters for three years, saw his impressive streak broken earlier this week. During the semifinals at Stade de France, Tebogo outpaced him, finishing in 19.96 seconds, a 0.12-second lead over Lyles.

Sunday night’s 100-meter final saw Lyles narrowly secure a win over Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, despite not finishing first in his heat or semifinal.

Widely recognized as a showman who thrives under the spotlight, Lyles raised eyebrows when he bypassed the interview zone after Wednesday’s race. U.S. team officials noted he was heading to the medical tent, but his coach, Lance Brauman, reassured the press: “He’s fine.”