The men’s 100m final at the 2022 World Athletics Championship was billed as one of the most anticipated sprint races in recent history. Headlining the field was American sprinting star Noah Lyles, fresh off winning 200m gold at the last two World Championships and looking to add the coveted blue riband title to his resume. However, he faced stiff competition from the defending champion Fred Kerley of the USA and rising Canadian star Andre De Grasse. Lyles edged Kerley by a literal fingernail in a thrilling race to become the new 100m world champion.
Building Up to Eugene
Going into the 2022 season, Noah Lyles established himself as the premier 200m sprinter in the world, with back-to-back world titles in the events in 2017 and 2019. However, the 25-year-old had much bigger ambitions – he also wanted to prove he had the speed to win the 100m. At the US Championships in June, Lyles served notice of his intentions by running 9.86 seconds in the 100m final to take the national title. It was the fastest time in the world that year and established him as a serious gold medal contender for the upcoming World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Meanwhile, Fred Kerley was coming off an excellent 2021 when he bagged Olympic silver in the 100m and gold in the 4x100m relay in Tokyo. The 27-year-old Texan had also announced his 200m credentials by running a personal best of 19.76 seconds earlier that season. His battle with Lyles promised to be one of the highlights in Eugene. And lurking in the shadows was Canada’s Andre De Grasse, fresh from a brilliant 2021 where he won 3 medals across 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the Olympics to take his career tally to 6 medals from 3 Games. At 27, De Grasse was hitting his prime and could spring a surprise in Oregon.
The Race
Under cloudy skies at Hayward Field, the stage was set for a classic battle in the Blue Riband event. World record holder Fred Kerley false started in the blocks, leaving Lyles, De Grasse and the rest with a clear chance. Coming out of the blocks fluidly, Lyles and De Grasse quickly matched strides, with Kerley trailing slightly behind initially. Coming off the turn, Lyles asserted a slight advantage over De Grasse while Kerley was inching closer. But incredibly, Kerley surged with astonishing speed over the last few meters to draw level with Lyles on the line. It was simply too close to call with the naked eye.
The photo finish was analyzed frame by frame, and after an agonizing delay, the results showed Lyles had edged Kerley by a hundredth of a second – 9.86 to 9.86. De Grasse took bronze in 9.88 seconds, continuing his brilliant form in global championships. The crowd erupted in cheers as Lyles pumped his fists, not quite believing he had managed to hold off two of the best starters in the world. It was one of the closest 100m finals in the world championships’ history and cemented Lyles’ status as the king of sprinting.
Analysis of Lyles’ Race
On closer inspection, Lyles’ win highlighted critical strengths in his racing technique. Out of the blocks, his explosiveness allowed him to match De Grasse’s stellar acceleration. His long stride cycle helped him open up a gap coming off the turn as Kerley closed in. Lyles’ incredible top-end speed was most impressive – to withstand Kerley’s ferocious late charge and prevail by the finest of margins, which showed his raw speed was a cut above even the Olympic champion. At 25, Lyles is still peaking perfectly as an athlete with room for improvement. Barring injury, he can potentially dominate the sprints over the next few years.
His tactical racing intelligence was another plus point. Lyles did not panic when Kerley bore down on him in the home stretch, keeping his form and composure superbly. He also did well in marking De Grasse initially, denying the Canadian any chance to hit the front. Overall, it was a complete 100m performance from Lyles showcasing the all-round package that makes him such a formidable opponent. With this world title under his belt, he can now aspire to break the elusive 9.80-second barrier and cement his claim as the fastest man on the planet.
Quote from Lyles
In his post-race interview, an elated yet exhausted Lyles said: “This is a dream come true for me. As a kid growing up, I always wanted to be called the fastest man in the world. To do it on the biggest stage against those great guys – I’m so happy right now. I knew it would be an incredible race, and I just wanted to focus on executing my race plan. In the last few strides, when I saw Fred bearing down, my heart was beating like crazy. I just tried to stay composed and hold on. Winning by a hundredth feels amazing. I can’t describe this feeling – I’m the 100m world champion, it’s incredible!”
When asked about his sprint double ambitions in the future, Lyles replied: “Definitely, the 200m is still my pet event, but now winning the 100m gives me so much confidence. I aim to complete the double at the next World Championships and Olympics. I want to solidify myself as the best all-round sprinter in the world. There will be tremendous focus on defending my titles in the future, but I’m ready to take on all challenges. I’ll keep working hard to get even faster. The future is bright for American sprinting, and I’m excited about what’s ahead.”
Early Life and Background
Noah Lyles was born in 1997 in Alexandria, Virginia. He started his track career at age 13 at the famed TC Williams High School in Alexandria, where he established himself as a talented young sprinter. In his senior year of high school, Lyles clocked 10.01 in the 100m to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics at just 18 years old. Though he failed to make the final in Rio, it was an auspicious beginning for the teenager. Lyles then enrolled at the University of Florida, where, under coach Mike Holloway, he developed into an Olympic champion calibre athlete.
Breakout at 2017 Worlds
Lyles’s big breakthrough arrived at the 2017 World Championships in London, where, as a 20-year-old, he produced a national U20 record of 19.90 seconds to win gold in the 200m, becoming the youngest ever men’s world champion in the event. His vast potential was advertised to the world. However, injuries slowed his progress in 2018 as he shifted training bases to work with sprint coach Lance Brauman. A foot injury kept him out of competition for much of the year. But Lyles was determined to bounce back stronger.
Banner 2019 Campaign
Under Brauman’s guidance, Lyles certainly hit back sensationally in 2019. He opened the season by running 9.86 in the 100m, cementing his status as a serious threat in both sprints. At the US Championships, he broke Michael Johnson’s 23-year-old American 200m record with a blistering 19.50 second run. This made him a massive gold favourite for September’s World Championships in Doha. And Lyles duly delivered, defending his 200m title in a world-leading time of 19.83 seconds. It was a dominant showing.
postponement of 2020 Olympics
The coronavirus pandemic halted all sports, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed to 2021. This was a big blow to Lyles’ Olympic ambitions after his glittering 2019. However, he took the unexpected break philosophically, continuing to train diligently while also using his platform to advocate for social justice causes in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. When competition resumed in 2022, Lyles picked up from where he left off, retaining his 200m national title before his magical 100m breakthrough on the global stage in Eugene.
Personal Bests
Some of Noah Lyles’ standout personal bests include:
100m – 9.86 secs (2022)
200m – 19.50 secs (2019, American record)
4x100m relay – 37.79 secs (2022)
Longevity in the sport
At just 25 years of age, Noah Lyles’ best years are likely still ahead of him if he can avoid injuries. Barring any major health setbacks, Lyles can potentially threaten world records in 100m and 200m over the next five years as he enters his athletic prime. His career earnings could also grow exponentially as one of the track’s biggest draws and marketable stars. However, longevity at the top level remains a challenge in sprinting. Lyles’ efficiency of motion and training process indicates he may be able to sustain high performance more bottomless into his late 20s like Usain Bolt, setting him up for multiple Olympic and world title runs.
Conclusion
Noah Lyles has undoubtedly entered the pantheon of American sprint greats with his fingernail victory in Oregon. At just 25, he has broken the 9.8-second barrier, won consecutive world titles at 200m and now added the hugely coveted 100m crown. Lyles seems destined for more significant achievements in the years to come as he primes himself to dominate both the blue riband event and his pet 200m distance. His incredible pace, technique, tactical intelligence and big-meet mentality make him the complete package as a sprinter. As he aims for the elusive world records, Lyles is set to enthral track and field fans with many more epic races. The future of sprinting is bright in his young and able hands.
