Noah Lyles knew he was capable of running a 9.7-second time at the 2026 USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships from 23-26 July.
The reigning Olympic champion over 100m had run around 9.6 hand-timed before the meet, and wasn’t surprised by his 9.79 world lead on Friday (24 July).
Nor was he taken aback by clocking his best time since winning gold at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
“Yeah, I knew that 9.7 was coming,” Lyles, 29, told the media.
It was a stark contrast from Lyles’ remarks after breezing through the first round on Thursday (23 July). While he predicted a fast final at Icahn Stadium, he stopped short of offering a time.
A day later, he proclaimed his result should put his competition on notice that he’s still the man to beat going into the Olympic Games LA 2028.
“I think I made an ‘I’m still the world’s fastest man’ statement,” Lyles told the media following his race. “I think that I was playing around, so I think that everybody’s going to tighten up, because if they’re playing around, then shoot, I must be winning tag.”
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Best race of Lyles’ career
Lyles couldn’t have been more pleased with his performance in New York City. After initially being annoyed by his first seven steps in the opening round and semifinal warmups, Lyles settled down once his coach assured him that he was moving quickly.
That was all the eight-time World Champion needed to hear, and he immediately put the frustration to one side. Lyles focused his energy on race strategy and how to handle anyone who jumps out ahead of him.
Despite Christian Coleman finishing fourth (9.93), Lyles specifically cited the Olympian’s performance as a measuring stick for his own results.
He said that he felt like the 30-year-old sprinter turned back time and that helped motivate him as he climbed back from a tough start.
Instead of panicking, he used his rivals as rabbits to turn in the best sprint of his career.
“Technically, I think it was the best race I’ve had so far,” Lyles said of his mechanics. “Christian was on it. It was starting to look like 2019 Christian out there.
But Lyles wasn’t about to let the national title slip away.
“Coach was like, ‘Hey, just put your hand in his pocket and don’t let him go.’ And whenever you take the first two steps, I’m like, ‘Oh, yep, my hand is right in that pocket.
“This is my race to win.’”
read more: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/usa-track-and-field-championships-2026-i-m-still-the-world-s-fastest-man-says-noah-lyles-after-100m-win
