Paris 2024: Lyles and Jackson chase records in the 200m or will their rivals catch them?
Noah Lyles is a man on a mission.
A lot is hanging on his shoulders. To be fair, no one who has ever said they want to do great things has ever found it easy. Lyles doesn’t do easy. That much we have established in the last few years. Sometimes, he has played the role of the villain to the dismay of many fans. However, if there is one thing you can’t berate Lyles for is his showmanship and how he has been able to deliver when it matters.
In the recent athletics documentary, ‘Sprint’ he talked about the 200m being his wife and the 100m being his mistress. Well, he has been faithful to his wife for the last three years as he has yet to lose a race since he finished third at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Since then, he has won two titles and set a new personal best and American record of 19.31s. He has a mission to break Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19s.
Going into the Olympics in Paris, Lyles is the overwhelming favorite to snag Gold in the event, and how he does it will be very much telling. He has only raced the distance four times this year- all in the USA, but he still has the world-leading time of 19.53s. Surely, he can go faster and if he wants his quest for four gold in the French capital to come into fusion, then he has to put this event in the bag.
Letsile Tebogo is an athlete who is certain to push Lyles to his limits. The Botswana sprinter has shown remarkable growth and development. Like Lyles, Tebogo hasn’t fully revealed his capabilities in the 200m this year in his three races, but he has consistently demonstrated his prowess over other competitors, with Lyles being the notable exception. His season’s best over the distance is 19.71.
Another youngster who will look to get his hands on an Olympic medal is Erriyon Knighton. Although it hasn’t been the best of the year both on and off the track for the American, he was been able to prove his mettle at the US trials.
Kenny Bednarek is one man who has drastically improved too. He has lowered his Personal Best twice this year, clocking 19.59s at the US trials. Andre De Grasse can’t be slept on as he is the defending champion. The Canadian is one man you can bank on to show up on the biggest stage.
On the women’s side, Shericka Jackson spent the best part of chasing Florence Griffith-Joyner’s 200m world record of 21.34. Although she came within whiskers of breaking it at last year’s world championships in which she won the world title, however, she hasn’t been able to reach peak form in the event this year yet. In fact, she isn’t ranked amongst the top 10 fastest women of the year in the event.
Still, Jackson will be seen as the favorite to win Gold in Budapest. Not too far away is USA’s Gabby Thomas. The American holds the fastest time in the world heading into the Olympics with her 21.78s clocking from the US trials. After she won Silver at last year’s worlds and picked up a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics, Thomas will look to get one over Jackson in Paris.
One athlete that has grown in leaps and bounds this year is Julien Alfred. The St. Lucian narrowly missed out on a medal over the distance at last year’s world championships when she placed fourth. Her season has been nothing short of a spectacle so far and having pushed Thomas to the limit at the London Diamond League, you won’t put it beyond her if she medals in Paris.
