World champion Noah Lyles qualified for this summer’s Games in Paris by winning the 100m at the US Olympic trials.
In Eugene, Oregon, Lyles equaled his personal best of 9.83 seconds. Lyles finished eighth at the trials, which prevented him from competing in the 100 metres at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The silver medallist Fred Kerley from Tokyo 2020 and second place finisher Kenny Bednarek both qualified with times of 9.87 and 9.88, respectively.
The ranking was second to last three years ago. In the semi-finals, Lyles raced a wind-assisted 9.80, explained, “This year, I came and won it.”
“Part of the plan. Nothing changed. Might be a shock to everybody else, but when you know the goal, you know the goal.”
Lyles’ lone Olympic medal is still his bronze in the 200 metres in Tokyo.
“If I didn’t get that third place in Tokyo, I wouldn’t have had that desire. I wouldn’t have had that fire burning. I wouldn’t have accomplished what I have accomplished in the past,” he explained.
“Now we constantly look to the future with open eyes because anything can happen.”
World champion Christian Coleman for 2019 did not advance after placing fourth; in contrast, Sam Kendricks won the pole vault with a meet record 5.92 metres.
Quincy Wilson, 16, broke his own under-18 world record in the 400 metres and won his semi-final.
The men’s 100m final is scheduled for August 4th. The Olympics take place from July 26 to August 11th.
Topics #100MeterRace #Athletics #Lyles #OlympicQualifier
