Noah Lyles streaked away with the men’s 150m straightaway dash at the 2024 adidas Atlanta City Games in Piedmont Park on Saturday but fell narrowly short of Usain Bolt’s world record.
The reigning world 100m and 200m sprint champion clocked 14.41 seconds to win the event for the second successive year but finished 0.06 seconds shy of Bolt’s 14.35 seconds mark, set on a wet track in Manchester, England, in 2009.
Lyles, who was challenged early in the race before surging away in the closing meters, improved on his personal best of 14.56 seconds, set when winning last year.
Read more: McLaughlin-Levrone Stuns Rivals, Gabby Thomas & Abby Steiner in 200m at LA Grand Prix
He admitted he had entered the race targeting the world record.
However, he instead, had to settle for matching the American record, joining former world champion Tyson Gay, who posted the same time in Manchester in 2010 — at the top of the national performance list.
“I wanted the world record, but I’ll settle for the American,” said Lyles after his victory on Saturday. “I’m hyped. I’m excited.”
Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, running his first-ever competitive 150m, challenged Lyles early in the race but faded back into second place with an impressive 14.66 seconds.
There was a world best in the women’s 150m after USA’s Candace Hill claimed the title with a swift 16.30 seconds performance, the same time as second-placed Favour Ofili of Nigeria, who ran a national record.
In other events, Jamaica’s Oblique Seville flashed to a personal best for the straightaway 200m, clocking 19.96 seconds to win, American Aleia Hobbs captured the women’s 100m title with 10.88 seconds, South Africa’s Akani Simbine pulled away to win the men’s 100m with 9.90 seconds, while Grant Holloway dominated the men’s 110m hurdles to break the tape at 13.07.
Tara Davis-Woodhall of the USA won the women’s long jump with 7.17m, former world record holder Keni Harrison (12.67) defeated the current record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria (12.73), while USA’s Lynna Irby-Jackson won the women’s 200m with a time of 22.67 seconds.
