SAINT-DENIS, France — It was Kenny Bednarek whom Noah Lyles said woke him up. Lyles has been so dominant in the 200 meters, sleep walking makes sense.
But at the U.S. Olympic trials in June, Bednarek ran a personal-best time of 19.59 seconds. His previous best was 19.68 in 2021. The one they called “Kung Fu” Kenny, Bednarek was game for the challenge and stepped up.
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Of course, Lyles ran a 19.53 to beat the field and win the U.S. championship. But Bednarek did enough to have Lyles looking over his shoulder. Which begs the question: Can anyone actually beat Lyles in Thursday’s men’s 200-meter final?
The easy answer now is Letsile Tebogo, who bested Lyles in the third semifinal heat of the men’s 200 meters Wednesday at Stade de France. Lyles, once again, got a slow reaction time, trailed coming out of the turn and couldn’t chase down the star sprinter from Botswana, who finished in 19.96 seconds. He didn’t have much incentive to, as he easily qualified. Still.
If it feels like we’ve seen this movie already, it’s because it played out this way in the 100 meters. Lyles lost the semifinal round and opened the door to questions about whether he’d win. Those questions were very real in that loaded 100 meters.
But Lyles’ best in the 200 meters — which Wednesday was not — seems to be an untouchable realm. His personal best is 19.31 seconds, set in 2022. Since then, he’s picked up the 100 meters — of which he is now the reigning Olympic and world champion. Now, when he’s on his game, Lyles hovers around 19.50, give or take a few seconds.
But he could get a slow start. He could be off his game. He could leave the door open. Who could realistically run through?
Letsile Tebogo
He finished sixth in the 100 meters. He sure looked motivated for some redemption.
He’s one of the fastest humans in the world. He ranks No. 3 in the 100 meters and No. 4 in the 200 meters. He’s not as strong as the others, but he’s blazing enough to cause problems.
“Kung Fu” Kenny
Bednarek has already beaten Lyles once, back in the Tokyo Olympics. He ran a 19.68 to take the silver medal, leaving bronze for Lyles (19.74).
Bednarek, when he runs, just feels like he has the capacity to do something magical. He’s 25 years old. He’s fast. He’s strong. He’s hungry for some respect. That makes him dangerous.
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Erriyon Knighton
He used the final 60 meters to win Wednesday’s third and final heat in 20.09 seconds. He once ran a 19.49 at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium in 2022. But he hasn’t come close to that since. But Knighton does have Olympic experience, having made the Tokyo Games at 17 years old. He finished fourth.
The 20-year-old is 6-foot-3. He’s a big dude, strong, with long strides that make it look easy. He has the talent to make it all click for one race and be trouble.
Alexander Ogando
The Dominican Republic sprinter impressed in the semifinal. His time of 20.09 earned the automatic qualification in Bednarek’s heat. He’s not much more than a long shot. His personal best of 19.91 seconds came in 2022 at Hayward Field in Oregon. But he’s only 24 years old.
Canada’s Andre De Grasse, the defending Olympic champion in the 200 meters, surprisingly failed to qualify for the 200-meter final. He ran a 20.41 and finished 10th. Zharnel Hughes, Great Britain’s talented sprinter, pulled out before Wednesday’s semifinal. So the field is not as deep this time.
For those remaining in the field, here’s a problem: We’ve already seen how Lyles responds to losing. They’re probably going to have to beat his A game.
Required reading
- Noah Lyles makes 2 a.m. run for girlfriend — then advances out of 200m first round with ease
- Noah Lyles wrote the check with his mouth. At the Olympics, his feet cashed it
(Photo: Jewel Samad / AFP via Getty Images)
Marcus Thompson II is a lead columnist at The Athletic. He is a prominent voice in the Bay Area sports scene after 18 years with Bay Area News Group, including 10 seasons covering the Warriors and four as a columnist. Marcus is also the author of the best-selling biography "GOLDEN: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry." Follow Marcus on Twitter @thompsonscribe
