Noah Lyles wins 100 meters at US trials to qualify for Paris Olympics

CNN —

World champion Noah Lyles sealed his spot at the Olympics Games in Paris this year, winning the men’s 100 meters at the US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

After winning the semifinal earlier in the day, Lyles tied his personal best of 9.83 seconds to cross the line first in the final and punch his ticket to France.

He was followed by Kenny Bednarek in second with a time 9.87 seconds (a personal best), while Fred Kerley was third with a season’s best 9.88. Both sprinters – who won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 100m and 200m respectively – also qualified for Paris.

Lyles – the reigning 100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay world champion – missed out on the 100m in Tokyo after finishing seventh at the trials. He made it into the 200m event however, winning a bronze medal.

“Three years ago I got second to last. This year I came and won it,” he told reporters after the race. “Part of the plan. Nothing changed. Might be a shock to everybody else, but when you know the goal, you know the goal.

“If I didn’t get that third place in Tokyo, I wouldn’t have had that desire. I wouldn’t have had that fire burning. I wouldn’t have accomplished what I have accomplished in the past.”

“Now we constantly look to the future with open eyes because anything can happen,” he added.

Lyles poses with the flag and his gold medal after the race.

Lyles appeared confident from the get-go, bouncing out ahead of his competitors and hyping up the crowd when he was introduced as the last entrant in the final.

His confidence carried through to the finish line, raising his finger to the sky in celebration before the race had concluded.

Lyles was made to work for his victory, though – 2019 world champion Christian