I took my teen son to worlds in Eugene. Lyles was the only athlete my son approached who would not sign an autograph or have a picture taken with him. So F--- him.
I don't think Noah nor some posters actually realize how silly the WRs in the sprints are.
200m will always have a small percentage possibility for him given his current PB. 0.12 seconds in a 200m is definitely doable for him. Slightly better start, ideal conditions, good lane, competition. Tons of things can boost him towards a tiny PB.
He didn't say he CAN break it, he said he'd like to take a SHOT.
The dude is a far better 200M runner than 100M. He genuinely could have a chance, given his PR is 19.31 and there are several 400M athletes that run sub 44 and have slower 200M times than him.
Michael Johnson's PR was 19.32 as we all know, and he went on to run 43.18
I could absolutely see Noah Lyles running the quarter and honestly might even go as far as saying he'd be better in that event than the 100M. His top speed is unmatched.
Remember, Fred Kerley ran 43.6 back in the day but he still kicks ass as a 100M/200M guy. Michael Norman could too (once he gets his act together). There's no reason Lyles wouldn't be able to especially with how fast his 200M PR is.
We’ve seen countless athletes that start at 400m and move down, but who in history has moved up, apart from Jareem Richards, who was kind of already a quarter miler, but not a specialist.
Michael Johnson started out as a 200 runner who ran 400 only on relays until after college. Michael Norman was a 100/200M guy in HS before moving up in college. 1968 200M Olympic champion Tommy Smith beat 1968 400M champion Lee Evans in a 440Y in 1966 or 67, breaking the then-world record. I'm sure there are other examples -- in fact, moving DOWN, as Kerley did, is far less common. Noah's brother Josephus was a world Junior 4x4 gold medalist in 2014 and world youth silver medalist at 400 in 2015, but it was Noah who had the fastest time of 45.6 on their HS 4x4 team at the Penn Relays in 2016. I was there for that race and he was pretty amazing. Could he break the WR some day? I don't know, but I'm sure he could run very fast if he trained for it. That said, I don't think the U.S. should be putting him on 4/x4 in global competitions unless and until he proves it by running some high-class open 400s.
Do you think Lyles has given up on the idea of breaking Bolt's 200m WR?
I'm assuming he doesn't think the 100m WR is possible for him.
Seems weird to be talking about the 400m WR when he didn't even win the gold medal in the 200m in Paris. I guess it was just an interview and he didn't have much time to think it through, but people are listening...
I wonder if Lyles is as hard a worker and as disciplined as Michael Johnson was? Even van Niekerk said how he hated the 400m training.
Do you think Lyles has given up on the idea of breaking Bolt's 200m WR?
I'm assuming he doesn't think the 100m WR is possible for him.
Seems weird to be talking about the 400m WR when he didn't even win the gold medal in the 200m in Paris. I guess it was just an interview and he didn't have much time to think it through, but people are listening...
I wonder if Lyles is as hard a worker and as disciplined as Michael Johnson was? Even van Niekerk said how he hated the 400m training.
43.03 is a serious time.
Lyles has no chance at either of Bolt's records. Bolt will go down as one of the most untouchable athletes in history.
That 43.03 though has been proven time and time again that it can be much, much faster. A 42.9 or faster has been long overdue. Whether it'll be Norman, Lyles, Tobogo, who cares. But it'll be done and I think it'll be soon. Specifically by someone who already has insane 200M speed
Michael Johnson started out as a 200 runner who ran 400 only on relays until after college. Michael Norman was a 100/200M guy in HS before moving up in college. 1968 200M Olympic champion Tommy Smith beat 1968 400M champion Lee Evans in a 440Y in 1966 or 67, breaking the then-world record. I'm sure there are other examples -- in fact, moving DOWN, as Kerley did, is far less common. Noah's brother Josephus was a world Junior 4x4 gold medalist in 2014 and world youth silver medalist at 400 in 2015, but it was Noah who had the fastest time of 45.6 on their HS 4x4 team at the Penn Relays in 2016. I was there for that race and he was pretty amazing. Could he break the WR some day? I don't know, but I'm sure he could run very fast if he trained for it. That said, I don't think the U.S. should be putting him on 4/x4 in global competitions unless and until he proves it by running some high-class open 400s.
Uh, Norman was never a 100M/200M guy. He would run a couple 100's throughout a season, but he was always a main 400M runner even in HS.
He was a 2x CA state champion and literally holds the NFHS record in 45.19 that still stands to this day lol. He ran 43.61 his second year at USC
I think the 400M record is anyone's game at this point. WVN is already in his early 30s, so I expect him to retire soon. He'll be doing so on a really good note, so we'll have to see who he'll pass the torch down to.
Disappointed to hear he didn't say that! I love it when people aim so high.
Like when MJ said the thought crossed his mind at the start line in 1996 Olympics how bad it would look if he didn't win it with Golden spikes on. But he still went for it!
Aiming high can get you burnt but how much do we love watching the spectacle. No way Icarus wouldn't be getting prime time slot on NBC.
Don't we always speculate what someone could have run if they moved up? Isn't that what they're supposed to do to help extend their careers? I predict lyles takes a shot at the marathon world record in 20 years
No, No, No Marathon.
Remember what happened to Flo Jo after she said she was training for the marathon
Lyle's is just talking. He won't actually do it. There's no successful 100/200 sprinter who moves up. For one thing the 400 pays less than the shorter sprints. When Lyles ages out of the short sprints he'll likely also be aged out of the 400. Historically, I don't think there has ever been a highly successful short sprinter who moved up and set a WR at 400. 400 sprinters are also sprinters, and like short sprinters they peak in their early '20s. Lyles is peaking later than most, but by the next Olympics he will likely be aged out of the sport, period.
When it comes to the 400m I think if Lyles is willing to undergo a lot of change and adversity it could pay off for him. I think Noah would be smart to transition away from the 100m and focus on the 200/400.
His 100m times while they are undoubtedly very good, they are not dominant. So long as he remains in the 100m he will always have to overcome a bad start and win the race at the line. This past olympics he barely got the job done, that said he did the job.
Based on his PRs his 200m best is far stronger than his 100m best. I think with some specialized training and form work he can become formidable at the 400m. That said, there is a decent chance he gets stuck around 44 seconds. The 400m is not an easy race, and while he has the speed, he will need to train his body to resist breaking down in the final 100m. Weirdly I think he will either have his greatest success or failure at 400m. I dont think he will be stuck around 400m, I think he will either dominate the event or quit as a 44.5+ guy.
My final point, I think he has a greater shot compared to most athletes and it would be fun to watch him give the 400m a serious effort. Who knows, maybe he is the guy for the task.
Honestly, I don't buy any of his bravado. He's trying to escape some emptiness inside of himself by filling it with bells and whistles. So I permit him all of this for the sake of his mental health. Could he break the WR over 400m? Possibly. Will he? Probably not. Next. Enter Tebogo. Lines up over 400m without any bluster. I'm on the edge of my seat with the popcorn.
This post was edited 2 minutes after it was posted.
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