U.S. Trials: Noah Lyles sets season best time as four others go under 20-second mark to advance to 200m final
Did I do that?
That was the body language reaction from reigning world champion Noah Lyles after his 200m semi-final on Friday (28 June) evening the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - track & field at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, after seeing his 19.60 flash up on the screen.
"It felt real easy. I was very shocked to see that time pop up," Lyles said on NBC. "I wasn't really even trying and I shut down pretty hard at the end, too."
The 100m winner here, Lyles is looking to punch a second ticket for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, and was one of five men to tick under the 20-second mark to advance into the final.
Christian Coleman (19.89), Erriyon Knighton (19.93), Kenny Bednarek (19.96) and Robert Gregory (19.98) all went sub-20, as well, setting up a must-see men's 200m final on Saturday night (29 June).
Courtney Lindsey, Kyree King, Jeremiah Curry and Jamarion Stubbs round out the nine finallists.
Fred Kerley, who qualified in the 100m along with Lyles and Bednarek, scratched from the event after securing his spot on the Paris team.
Lyles captured the 100m and 200m world titles last August in Budapest. He bettered Michael Johnson's 19.32 at the World Championships here at this track in 2022 for the world title with a 19.31, and said Friday he has lowering it on his mind - again.
"I had that [in mind] after the 100m, [that] I could come out here and attack the American record, maybe the world record, we'll see," he said.
Usain Bolt's world record of 19.19 has stood since Worlds 2009.