World champion Noah Lyles won the men’s 100-metre race in the US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, to guarantee his spot in this year’s Paris Olympics. The athlete crossed the finish line first in the finals and secured his ticket to France, tying his personal best time of 9.83 seconds.
Spinter Kenny Bednarek came in second with a time of 9.87 seconds—his personal best—and Fred Kerley was third with a season’s best of 9.88 seconds. Both athletes qualified for the Paris Olympics. They also took home a silver medal in the 100- and 200-metre events in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Lyles: “I wouldn’t have had that fire burning”
In his recent performances, Lyles, the current world champion in the 100, 200, and 4 x 100-metre relays, was not selected for the 100 metres in Tokyo after finishing ninth in the trials. Still, he qualified for the 200-metre competition and took home the bronze.
Lyles admitted: “Three years ago I got second to last. 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.”
“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… Now we constantly look to the future with open eyes because anything can happen,” he added.
Lyles will also be trying to win the 200-metre race in which he won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
The men’s 100-metre finals will be held on August 4 during the Paris Olympic Games, which will run from July 26 to August 11.
Source: CNN