The US Olympic Trials provided plenty of track action for spectators all around the world, but all eyes were on the 200-meter men’s category, which also did not disappoint. Noah Lyles undoubtedly dominated the field, but he was followed by a prancing Kenny Bednarek, who finished just 0.06 seconds behind him.
This remarkable sprinting display has astounded track superstars Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green. They addressed how these two athletes consistently exceed the expectations of the public at track meets in the Tidal League podcast, Ready Set Go.
When the former Bahamian sprinter asked the four-time world champion about his thoughts on the 200-meter races at the US Olympic Trials, he simply stated that they went as expected. Gatlin goes on to say that Bednarek could have easily won the finals because of how he started the race, but when it came down to the final stretch’s last 50–60 meters, Noah charged with all of his conserved pace and won by such a narrow margin.
He also notes that Lyles’ semi-final success helped the athlete’s mental state by giving him the confidence to carry the same form into the final. After Gatlin’s take on the US Olympic Trials, Green mentions a new Kenny Bednarek who they saw after the event, saying:
“When they interviewed those guys, I think that’s the most emotion I’ve seen from Kenny on TV ever in life, because he always just looks like ‘yes, thank you,’ you know one word answers, you know what I mean, open and s***, but that boy cussed on National Television…’I’m on your a***'”
Justin Gatlin was taken aback by this revelation, as he had no idea about the post-race interviews. The Bahamian sprinter goes on to say that he doesn’t believe Kenny’s statement was meant for his teammate, but he wanted to win the finals, so he pursued down the six-time world champion even though he was surpassed with 50–60 meters left in the race.
Green adds that, despite Noah’s invincibility in the 200-meter sprints, he now has his own USATF teammate to defeat, since Kenny is one of the athletes with the ability to beat the six-time world champion and shatter his goals.
All of this heated track rivalry gets the track legend thrilled for the forthcoming Paris Olympics since winning gold will not be as straightforward as Lyles expects. Gatlin also explains how both athletes are passionate about anime and how the motivation they get from viewing those shows drives them to push themselves even farther beyond their current limits.
This entire scenario is creating a new benchmark in track and field, and it will be an excellent year for sports, with athletes like these two competing at their absolute peak. While Kenny Bednarek is already posing a challenge to the three-time world champion in the 200 meters, he has two Jamaican challengers to contend with in the 100-meter sprint.
Noah Lyles Faces Classic Jamaican Competition Ahead of the Paris Olympics
In track and field, American athletes have always had to defeat Jamaicans to win the flashy gold medal at the Olympic Games. The classic rivalry between the two North American countries has propelled the sport to new heights, and this year, Noah Lyles will face two new competitors in the 100-meter men’s category: Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson.
The six-time world champion, Noah Lyles entered the 2024 Racers Grand Prix with high aspirations of securing the world lead as well as winning, but both were dashed by Oblique Seville, who won the race with a blazing 9.82.
However, when he was the favorite in the 100-meter sprint finals at the Jamaican Olympic Trials, Seville witnessed a 22-year-old Kishane Thompson dashing ahead of him and slowing down before the finish line to win the finals with a 9.77, establishing a new world lead. These two will pose a significant threat to the American’s gold medal chances since Lyles’ current personal best in the aforementioned category is 9.83.
