"I don't think it will be that hard..." - Noah Lyles targets Usain Bolt's record
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Noah Lyles has been improving day by day. However, since Usain Bolt's retirement, Lyles has been an unstoppable force on the track.
Recently speaking to BBC World Service, Lyles said when asked about breaking Bolt's 200-meter record of 19.19,
"Personally, I know it's crazy to say, but I don't think it will be that hard."
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Can Noah Lyles break Usain Bolt's record?
The 27-year-old American sprinter Noah Lyles is a complete threat on the track. Lyles has shown to be unstoppable, particularly in the 200-meter sprint, which is regarded as the middle child of the sprinting events.
Lyles' 200-meter sprint personal best is 19.31 seconds, his 100-meter sprint personal best is 9.86 seconds, and his 150-meter sprint personal best is 14.69 seconds. In all three competitions, Usain Bolt has run quicker times than Lyles. With times of 9.58 and 19.19 seconds, respectively, for the 100- and 200-meter sprints, Bolt now owns the world record. He had a personal best time of 14.35 seconds for the 150-meter sprint.
Lyles competed in the 200-meter sprint at the 2020 Inspiration Games in Zurich, Switzerland, with Churandy Martina of the Netherlands and Christophe Lemaitre of France. The timer's statistics shocked everyone once Lyles finished speaking. It read 18.91 seconds, which is 0.28 seconds quicker than Bolt's 2009 world record.
The American athlete was happy only for a brief period of time, though. After he finished, it was discovered that Lyles had only raced 185 meters because the organizers had put him on the wrong track. Although he has been gaining speed over time, it is quite evident that he could beat or come close to Usain Bolt's record.
As he aims for the all-time fastest 200-meter performance, only Usain Bolt and the Jamaican's former teammate Yohan Blake (19.26s) stand in Lyles' way of creating history.
Noah Lyles' dream 2022 season
At the age of 27, Lyles is already a 200-meter legend. He ran a total of 12 200-meter races in 2022, won them all, and to top it off, finished them all in under 20 seconds. It was a season unlike any other.
In a 200-meter sprint at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, Lyles ran a time of 19.31 seconds, making him the third-fastest man in the world overall, trailing only Yohan Blake (19.26) and Lightning Bolt (19.19). With each finish, Lyles has become faster and quicker, dominating the 200.
Lyles won his second international gold in the 200-meter on July 21, 2022 at the World Athletics Championships held in Eugene, Oregon. He ran 19.31 to break Michael Johnson's previous mark of 19.32, moving him up to third on the all-time list. He won the 200-meter race to finish off a strong season, earning his fifth overall and fourth over this particular distance in the Zürich Diamond League final.
What is next for Noah Lyles?
On February 4, Noah Lyles and fellow countryman Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone will race over 60 meters in Boston in the second World Athletics Indoor Tour competition of the year.
Lyles will also be preparing for the World Championships, which are scheduled for August in Budapest.