Noah Lyles Shines in Thrilling Olympic 200m Semifinal

Entering Wednesday’s qualifying race, Lyles hadn’t lost a 200 of any kind since he finished third at the Tokyo Games.

SAINT-DENIS, France — Noah Lyles faced a rare defeat in the 200-meter semifinal on Wednesday, marking his first loss at this distance in three years. Despite finishing second, Lyles will have the chance to race for his second Olympic gold medal.

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana clinched the heat with a time of 19.96 seconds, narrowly edging out Lyles by .12 seconds. This was the first time Lyles lost a 200-meter race since his third-place finish at the Tokyo Games. The surprising result ignited discussions about Lyles’ performance and his readiness for the final.

Despite the second-place finish, Lyles still secured an automatic qualifying spot for Thursday night’s final. However, his lane assignment may not be ideal. The athlete’s experience last weekend, where he lost both his opening heat and the semifinal round of the 100 meters before winning the final, may provide some insights into his approach.

The men’s 200M final is scheduled for Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET, with Lyles aiming to add another gold medal to his collection, just days after being dubbed the “World’s Fastest Man” with his 100-meter victory.

A key question remains: did Tebogo, who finished in 19.96 seconds, expend too much energy to make a point, or was Lyles simply conserving his strength? Lyles admitted to being somewhat unprepared for the early rounds of the competition after his second-place finish in the 100 meters.

Looking ahead, Lyles will face formidable opponents in the final, including Kenny Bednarek and Erryion Knighton. Bednarek, who came within .06 of Lyles at the Olympic trials, and Knighton, seen as a major future threat, both present significant challenges. The defending champion, Andre De Grasse of Canada, will not be a contender; he finished third in his heat and failed to advance.