Noah Lyles’ pathway to the rare Olympic sprint double at Paris 2024 will not be easy.
Wednesday (7 August) evening, the newly-minted “fastest man in the world” finished runner-up to 2023 world bronze medallist Letsile Tebogo of Botswana in the men’s 200m semi-finals, while leading Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada failed to make it into the final.
Tebogo gained the second of three semi-finals with a 19.96, while the American Lyles was second at 20.08. Tebogo was the lone man to break the 20-second mark all evening, his strong start carrying him ahead of Lyles around the bend.
Lyles is attempting to win both the Olympic 100m and 200m for the first time since the legendary Usain Bolt did so three times, in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Lyles’ U.S. teammates Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton are carefully into the final, as well, clocking a 20.00 and 20.09, respectively, to win semi-finals one and three.
Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando, Joseph Fahnbulleh of Liberia and Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba and Tapiwanashe Makarawu round out the final eight.
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