High School Sprinters Noah Lyles, Michael Norman Lead 200m Qualifying at Olympic Trials
by LetsRun.com
July 8, 2016
EUGENE, Ore. — Someone better get a pen handy because the high school record book may need some serious rewriting by the time the men’s 200 is done at the 2016 Olympic Trials. The top two qualifiers to Friday’s semifinals were not Olympic champions LaShawn Merritt and Justin Gatlin, but high schoolers Noah Lyles (Alexandria, Va.) and Michael Norman (Murrieta, Calif). Lyles (20.04, 3.3 m/s wind) and Norman (20.06, 2.8 m/s wind) both won their heats easily and moved up to #2 and #3 on the U.S. all-time all-conditions list (only Trentavis Friday, who ran a wind-aided 20.03 in 2014, has gone faster).
Though Gatlin and Merritt remain the favorites to go 1-2 in Saturday’s final both Lyles and Norman have a great shot to make the final and today’s results showed that there’s a chance one of them could even make the team. At the very least, Roy Martin’s 31-year-old national HS record of 20.13 should be seriously threatened if they get a legal wind in one of the next two rounds. The only concern is whether they’ll have anything left for the final, should they make it, after running so fast today. Norman easing up over the final strides of his heat was a good sign that he may have more in the tank.
On the women’s side, high school junior Sydney McLaughlin (Scotch Plains, N.J.) was her normal brilliant self, clocking 55.46 to rank second among qualifiers to the semifinals of the 400 hurdles. Her high school record of 54.46, set last month at New Balance Nationals, could be under threat in Sunday’s final.
Interviews and results below. All results here.
Noah Lyles
This was Lyles’ second race at the Trials as he also ran the 100 on Day 2 when he finished 4th in his heat in 10.16 and missed advancing to the semis. Well there was no early trip home for Lyles today as he shocked everyone, maybe even himself, by winning his heat. Lyles said he was excited with the win and fast time after not being thrilled with the way he ran in the 100 earlier and has been saying to himself in training, “I can do better, I do better.”
Lyles surprised himself with how fast he started as he expected to being behind in the last stretch, but said, “I definitely like a chase, but if the chase ends too early because I’m too fast, I mean, that’s just it.” Talking about the huge support he has with him in Eugene, Lyles said he has a full crew of 15 or 17 people including his parents, brother, seven friends, four coaches, a chiropractor and a physical therapist.
Michael Norman
Michael Norman is a recent high school graduate but tonight wasn’t his first race at the Trials. He ran the 400 earlier at the Trials, running 46.20 and not advancing to round 2.
Michael said he felt like he didn’t belong when running the 400, but tonight he didn’t have that feeling. He was pumped to run so fast, “It’s huge. After the 400 I was really bummed,” he said.
Norman was inspired by Noah Lyles running so fast before him saying, “After I saw he ran twenty oh three? Four? I thought, ‘Wow, I guess it’s time to run fast.”
Run fast he did, even though he let off the gas at the end. “With 20 to 50 meters left I looked to see where I was and I kind of let loose from there,” he said.
Norman comes from a sprinting family. His mom is Japanese and was an 11.7 or 11.8 sprinter according to Norman, and his dad was a 47-second 400 man who initially went to Ball State.
Norman’s plan is to go to USC next year. “I want to experience at least one year of college,” he said unless “they offer me something crazy…”
Syndey McLaughlin
McLaughlin is only 16 years old, but interviewed like someone 10 years her elder as she was composed and well-spoken in her post-race Q&A. She is decked out in New Balance gear from head-to-toe, but said she hasn’t gone pro.
Results:
Men’s 200
Results
| PLACE | ATHLETE | RESULT | REACT | WIND | HEAT | LN/POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noah Lyles
Unattached
|
20.04 Q | 0.175 | 3.3 m/s | 1 (1) | 7 |
| 2 | Michael Norman
Unattached
|
20.06 Q | 0.196 | 2.8 m/s | 4 (1) | 7 |
| 3 | LaShawn Merritt
Nike
|
20.09 Q | 0.193 | 2.8 m/s | 6 (1) | 3 |
| 4 | Kendal Williams
Georgia
|
20.11 Q | 0.180 | 3.3 m/s | 1 (2) | 6 |
| 5 | Dedric Dukes
Nike
|
20.14 Q | 0.176 | 3.3 m/s | 1 (3) | 5 |
| 6 | Walter Dix
Unattached
|
20.23 q | 0.184 | 3.3 m/s | 1 (4) | 3 |
| 7 | Ameer Webb
Nike
|
20.27 Q | 0.183 | 0.9 m/s | 5 (1) | 4 |
| 8 | Justin Gatlin
Nike
|
20.32 Q | 0.176 | 0.9 m/s | 5 (2) | 5 |
| 9 | Trentavis Friday
Unattached
|
20.33 q | 0.158 | 3.3 m/s | 1 (5) | 8 |
| 10 | Tyson Gay
Unattached
|
20.36 Q | 0.188 | 2.8 m/s | 4 (2) | 3 |
| 11 | Wallace Spearmon
Unattached
|
20.39 Q | 0.165 | 2.8 m/s | 4 (3) | 6 |
| 12 | Sean McLean
Nike
|
20.46 Q
20.452
|
0.177 | 0.9 m/s | 5 (3) | 3 |
| 13 | Kenzo Cotton
Arkansas
|
20.46 q
20.458
|
0.206 | 3.3 m/s | 1 (6) | 4 |
| 14 | Curtis Mitchell
adidas
|
20.48 | 0.194 | 2.8 m/s | 4 (4) | 5 |
| 15 | Arthur Delaney
Ultimate Speed Athletics
|
20.49 | 0.238 | 2.8 m/s | 4 (5) | 4 |
| 16 | Isiah Young
Nike
|
20.53 Q
20.524
|
0.184 | 0.5 m/s | 3 (1) | 3 |
| 17 | Aldrich Bailey
Unattached
|
20.53 Q
20.527
|
0.163 | 2.8 m/s | 6 (2) | 8 |
| 18 | Jarrion Lawson
ASICS
|
20.54 Q | 0.153 | 1.0 m/s | 2 (1) | 6 |
| 19 | Remontay McClain
Nike
|
20.55 Q | 0.166 | 2.8 m/s | 6 (3) | 7 |
| 20 | Justin Walker
Nike
|
20.60 | 0.192 | 2.8 m/s | 6 (4) | 6 |
| 21 | Michael Rodgers
Nike
|
20.64 Q
20.631
|
0.160 | 0.5 m/s | 3 (2) | 7 |
| 22 | Correion Mosby
Unattached
|
20.64
20.636
|
0.186 | 0.9 m/s | 5 (4) | 2 |
| 23 | Tevin Hester
Clemson
|
20.69 Q
20.688
|
0.162 | 0.5 m/s | 3 (3) | 8 |
| 24 | Calesio Newman
Unattached
|
20.69
20.690
|
0.195 | 2.8 m/s | 4 (6) | 8 |
| 25 | Beejay Lee
Unattached
|
20.79 | 0.176 | 0.5 m/s | 3 (4) | 4 |
| 26 | Maurice Mitchell
Unattached
|
20.80 | 0.183 | 2.8 m/s | 6 (5) | 5 |
| 27 | Ryan Clark
Florida
|
20.94
20.939
|
0.168 | 0.5 m/s | 3 (5) | 6 |
| 27 | Devin Jenkins
Texas A&M
|
20.94 Q
20.939
|
0.174 | 1.0 m/s | 2 (2) | 5 |
| 29 | Terrel Cotton
adidas
|
20.98 | 0.188 | 0.5 m/s | 3 (6) | 5 |
| 30 | Mookie Salaam
Unattached
|
20.99 Q | 0.154 | 1.0 m/s | 2 (3) | 8 |
| 31 | Kahlil Henderson
Auburn
|
21.01 | 0.164 | 0.9 m/s | 5 (5) | 8 |
| 32 | Stirley Jones
Unattached
|
21.14 | 0.220 | 1.0 m/s | 2 (4) | 4 |
| 33 | Aaron Ernest
Unattached
|
21.16 | 0.174 | 0.9 m/s | 5 (6) | 6 |
| 34 | Bryce Robinson
Tulsa
|
21.18 | 0.194 | 0.9 m/s | 5 (7) | 7 |
| 35 | Cravon Gillespie
Mt. San Antonio College
|
21.21 | 0.171 | 1.0 m/s | 2 (5) | 7 |
| 36 | LeShon Collins
Houston
|
25.19 | 0.158 | 2.8 m/s | 6 (6) | 4 |
| DQ | Elijah Hall-Thompson
CL Athletics Stars TC
|
0.179 | 1.0 m/s | 2 (2) | 3 |
Women’s 400H
Results
| PLACE | ATHLETE | RESULT | REACT | HEAT | LN/POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dalilah Muhammad
Nike
|
55.33 Q | 0.198 | 3 (1) | 5 |
| 2 | Sydney McLaughlin
Unattached
|
55.46 Q | 0.243 | 2 (1) | 5 |
| 3 | Terea Brown
adidas
|
55.47 Q | 0.212 | 3 (2) | 8 |
| 4 | Kiah Seymour
Kentucky
|
55.58 Q | 0.263 | 2 (2) | 3 |
| 5 | Jaide Stepter
USC
|
55.64 Q | 0.259 | 5 (1) | 5 |
| 6 | Kori Carter
Brand Jordan
|
55.79 q | 0.185 | 2 (3) | 6 |
| 7 | Shamier Little
adidas
|
55.83 Q | 0.289 | 5 (2) | 2 |
| 8 | Cassandra Tate
adidas
|
55.93 Q | 0.281 | 4 (1) | 6 |
| 9 | Tiffany Williams
Unattached
|
56.06 Q | 0.229 | 4 (2) | 5 |
| 10 | Autumne Franklin
Harvard
|
56.17 q | 0.197 | 3 (3) | 3 |
| 11 | Kaila Barber
Notre Dame
|
56.35 q | 0.255 | 2 (4) | 4 |
| 12 | Anna Cockrell
South Charlotte Chargers
|
56.53 q | 0.403 | 2 (5) | 7 |
| 13 | Turquoise Thompson
Nike
|
56.76 q | 0.358 | 5 (3) | 7 |
| 14 | Ashley Spencer
Nike
|
56.80 q | 0.384 | 4 (3) | 3 |
| 15 | Landria Buckley
Unattached
|
57.02 Q | 1 (1) | 8 | |
| 16 | Alexis Franklin
Ohio St.
|
57.22 Q | 1 (2) | 7 | |
| 17 | Erica Twiss
Unattached
|
57.42 | 0.213 | 3 (4) | 4 |
| 18 | Claudia Francis
Florida
|
57.73 | 0.167 | 4 (4) | 4 |
| 19 | MonTayla Holder
Iowa
|
57.77 | 0.272 | 2 (6) | 8 |
| 20 | Jade Miller
Harvard
|
57.79
57.782
|
0.165 | 4 (5) | 8 |
| 21 | Jasmine Hyder
Unattached
|
57.79
57.784
|
0.186 | 1 (3) | 2 |
| 22 | Nicole Leach
Unattached
|
57.94 | 0.407 | 5 (4) | 3 |
| 23 | Latosha Wallace
adidas Garden State TC
|
58.22 | 0.242 | 3 (5) | 7 |
| 24 | Kymber Payne
LSU
|
58.97 | 0.338 | 3 (6) | 6 |
| 25 | Ellen Wortham
Unattached
|
59.13 | 1 (4) | 6 | |
| 26 | Tyler Brockington
South Carolina
|
59.23 | 0.473 | 5 (5) | 6 |
| 27 | Shakeia Pinnick
Unattached
|
59.46 | 0.230 | 5 (6) | 8 |
| 28 | MacKenzie Hill
Unattached
|
59.56 | 0.185 | 1 (5) | 3 |
| 29 | Ariel Jones
Texas
|
1:00.44 | 0.255 | 4 (6) | 7 |
| DNS | Damajahnee Birch
Arkansas
|
5 | 4 | ||
| DNS | Nnenya Hailey
Arizona
|
1 | 5 | ||
| DNS | Georganne Moline
Nike
|
1 | 4 |