Noah Lyles is Here to Dominate

“I’m here… I’m here to dominate,” was the unapologetic statement made by Noah Lyles in an interview following his scintillating performance in the 200m at the 2018 Prefontaine Classic (“Pre”). Lyles posted a lifetime best time of 19.69 seconds (+2.0m/s) to take the win.  The 20-year-old Lyles ran a superb curve to take command of the race heading into the home-stretch before powering away from the rest of the field. Noah finished ahead of Trinidad & Tobago’s Jereem Richards (20.05) and Canada’s Aaron Brown (20.07). The Batswana Isaac Makwala, who was one of the favorites to win the event, pulled up injured. Lyles winning time of 19.69 seconds ties the world-leading time set by South Africa’s Clarence Munyia on March 16.

Undefeated in May (3-0)

Lyles’s 200m victory at Pre was his 2^nd Diamond League victory. On May 4 at the Doha Diamond League meet, Lyles took the victory in a then lifetime best time of 19.83 seconds (+1.3 m/s). Two Diamond League races, two victories and two personal best times are the narrative that can be used to describe Lyles’s 2018 season so far. Lyles entered the 2018 outdoor season with a lifetime best time of 19.90 seconds in the 200m and so far, has surpassed that in his two races.  Also, at the Adidas Boost Boston Games on May 20, Lyles captured the rarely-ran men’s 150m races in 14.77 seconds ahead of Britain’s Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (14.81 seconds).

Set to Dominate

Lyles's impressive Pre performance now places him 7^th on the USA 200m All-time list. The Gainesville, Florida native and T C Williams High school graduate, posted his lifetime best time of 19.69 seconds in less than ideal sprinting conditions and very early in the season. Based on his recent performances, Lyles appears to be the male athlete to take the USA back to its glory days of sprinting.  Despite not yet posting a legitimate sub-10 seconds in the 100, the 2016 IAAF World U-20 100m champion is set to continue his meteoric rise in the both the 100m and the 200m.

Having ran a wind-aided 9.86 seconds (+4.1 mm/s) in the 100m last month in Gainesville, Florida (which is above the required legal +2.0 m/s), its just a matter of time before Lyles becomes a legitimate member of the 100m sub-10 club, on his way to moving up the charts in the men’s 200m All-time list. Based on his recent exploits, Lyles is indeed here and seems ready to dominate.

 USA Men 200m – ALL Time List (as of May 26, 2018)

Source: IAAF website

Edited by: Raymond Byfield

Noah Lyles picture (above) taken by Nicholas Reid