World medalists Noah Lyles, Fred Kerley, and Erriyon Knighton will join home favorite Zharnel Hughes in a highly anticipated men’s 200m line-up at the London Diamond League 2023 event, scheduled for July 23. Lyles is undefeated in his head-to-head battles against Kerley, Knighton, and Hughes in 200m finals.
Noah Lyles, a two-time world champion, currently leads the 2023 top lists in the 200m after running a remarkable 19.67 in Jamaica last month. He has already secured a victory in the Diamond League this year, triumphing over 100m in Paris.
The 25-year-old has an impressive track record, having won the Diamond League Final in the 200m four times. Additionally, he earned a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Fred Kerley, the world 100m champion, has been excelling in the shorter sprint events. Following his silver success at the Olympics in Tokyo, he claimed his first individual world title at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 by winning the 100m event.
In Doha, he had previously secured a bronze medal in the 400m. Kerley began the Diamond League season with a victory in the 200m in Doha.
Erriyon Knighton, the world 200m bronze medallist, is the youngest member of the US trio in the line-up. At just 19 years old, he has already achieved remarkable global success.
After finishing fourth in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympic Games, he secured a place on the podium in Oregon last summer, earning a world bronze medal. So far in 2023, Knighton has secured victories in two Diamond League meets, both held in his favored 200m event, in Florence and Oslo.
The US athletes will join the new British 100m record-holder, Zharnel Hughes, who clocked an impressive time of 9.83 in New York last month. They will all compete at the London Stadium.
“The line-up for this race is world-class, and I am truly excited to put on a show for the fans. We have all had a strong start to the season, so this race promises to be close and highly entertaining,” said Lyles.
“I am eagerly anticipating my first race at the London Stadium. I have heard exceptional things about the electric atmosphere there, and I look forward to performing in front of the 45,000 spectators later this month.”
Nafissatou Thiam and Katarina Johnson-Thompson Set For Long Jump Battle
Organizers at the London Diamond League 2023 have also announced that world heptathlon gold medallists Nafissatou Thiam of Belgium and Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Great Britain will participate in the women’s long jump field.
These two esteemed athletes, known for their excellence in combined events, will bring further star power to the competition as they join European indoor champion Jazmin Sawyers in the line-up.
“I am excited to compete in the long jump at the London Stadium. It has been a few years since my last competition in London, but I have fond memories from the World Championships,” said Thiam.
“This meeting is crucial in my preparations for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, so I am thrilled to compete alongside a strong field.”
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