Paris 2024 athletics: Noah Lyles, Erriyon Knighton and defending champion Andre de Grasse safely through to men’s 200m semi-finals 

Noah Lyles’ quest for history at Paris 2024 continues after he finished first in his heat in a time of 20.19 seconds in the first round of the men’s 200m on Monday evening (5 August).

Just one day after claiming a dramatic photo-finish victory in the men’s 100m, Lyles looked fresh and hungry in the half-lap event in which he made his name.

“I know a lot of people are trying to make a move on me," Lyles said of the semi-finals, before confidently adding. "I know they are going to try to set themselves up to win it. But I am going to win the race at 120m, I am going to win at 150m, and from there I am going to take the race to the line.”

The crowd lauded the new Olympic champion with one of the loudest cheers of the evening, as his name was called out over the loudspeakers before his race.

Lyles will be joined in the semi-final by the likes of Erriyon Knighton, Kenny Bednarek, defending champion Andre de Grasse and Letsile Tebogo, who all navigated the first round with wins in their heats at the Stade de France.

The semi-finals take place at just after 8 pm on Wednesday 7 August, with the final scheduled for 9:20 pm on the same day.

While Lyles' gold in Sunday’s 100m race earned him the coveted title of ‘world’s fastest man’, the 27-year-old is traditionally known as a 200m runner, having claimed the titles a the last three world championships, in 2019, 2022 and 2023.

He is also the third-fastest half-lap runner in history, with his mark of 19.31 seconds set at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in 2022 only behind Jamaica’s Yohan Blake and sprinting legend Usain Bolt.

While Bolt’s world record of 19.19 will be within his sights, Lyles has also stated his aim of attempting to win an unprecedented four sprint gold medals at Paris 2024, including the 4x100m and 4x400m relays.