American sprinter Noah Lyles was running on the track in Budapest, Hungary, on Sunday after winning gold in the men’s 100 meters at the World Championships in Athletics.
Lyles is known for his success in the 200m race, but when he crossed the finish line in 9.83 seconds after charging forward midway through the race, he cemented his spot as World No. 1 sprinter.
In doing so, Lyles is looking to become the first man since Jamaican sprinting legend Usain Bolt to win both the 100m and 200m races at Worlds, which Bolt accomplished in 2015.
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Gold medalist Noah Lyles reacts after winning the men’s 100 meters final at the World Championships in Athletics, August 20, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
That’s expected to happen as well, as Lyles is the two-time defending 200-meter champion at Worlds. The race will take place in Budapest on Wednesday, where everyone will be waiting to see if Lyles can match Bolt.
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo was second for the silver medal at 9.88 seconds while Britain’s Zharnel Hughes won bronze in the same time, but he finished a thousandth of a second behind Tebogo in a photo-finish.
Fellow American Christian Coleman, who was the 2019 world champion in the event, led early but finished fifth at 9.92 seconds.
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Before his win on Sunday, Lyles had never been on an American team in the 100 meters. In the 200 meters he had lost only twice in his professional career in the event, setting the third fastest time ever.
But it was one of his goals to win both events, and with the less likely of them, many believe it’s time to make his mark on sprinting history this week.
Gold medalist Noah Lyles reacts after winning the men’s 100 meters final at the World Championships in Athletics, August 20, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary. (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Prior to that gold medal run, Lyles finished third in the 100m at the United States Championships in July, which was what he needed to secure a world championship berth. After improving with his start, Lyles had better times, and his opening round and semi-final in Budapest proved it.
Lyles finished with a run of 9.95 seconds in her opening run and followed that up with a best finish of 9.87 seconds in the semis, securing her spot in the gold medal chase.
A personal best of 9.83 seconds was not what anyone had predicted, but after crossing the finish line, Lyles couldn’t believe he had won.
He took selfies with fans in the stands as he carried an American flag around his shoulders, knowing he is now the fastest man alive.
Gold medalist Noah Lyles reacts after winning the men’s 100 meters final at the World Championships in Athletics, August 20, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary. (David Ramos/Getty Images)
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But his work at the World Championships in Athletics is not finished.