Lyles aims for Olympic double after blazing 200m victory at U.S. trials

OREGON: Noah Lyles has set his sights on achieving an Olympic sprint double in Paris after a stunning performance at the U.S. trials. On Saturday, Lyles clinched the men’s 200 meters title with a blistering time of 19.53 seconds, marking the fastest run of the year.

The race was highly competitive, with Kenny Bednarek making a strong start and seeming poised for an upset. However, Lyles, a double world champion, surged ahead in the final 50 meters to secure victory by 0.06 seconds over Tokyo silver medalist Bednarek. Erriyon Knighton followed closely, taking third place with a time of 19.77 seconds.

Lyles, who also won the men’s 100m on Sunday, expressed confidence in the U.S. team’s prospects for the Paris Games. “USA is the USA,” Lyles declared in televised remarks. “We don’t give anything – you’ve got to take from us.”

In the women’s 200m, Gabby Thomas delivered a flawless performance, winning in 21.81 seconds, the second-fastest time of the year. Meanwhile, Sha’Carri Richardson’s aspirations for an Olympic double were thwarted as she finished fourth.(Reuters)