World's 200m semi-finals reached by Lyles and Gout in global event
In the heart of the Tokyo Olympics, the 200m race semi-finals are shaping up to be a thrilling spectacle. Two standout athletes, Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles, have qualified for the event, with both showing impressive form this season.
17-year-old Australian phenom Gout Gout set an Oceanian record of 20.02sec this season, securing his place in the semi-finals. However, it's the American duo of Bednarek and Lyles who have been grabbing headlines.
Bednarek, currently second on the 2021 world list with a time of 19.67sec, expressed confidence in his performance, stating he is "in really good shape". Despite finishing fourth in the men's 100m race, he attributed his performance to "two little hiccups" that put him out of contention.
Lyles, on the other hand, won his heat in the 200m race with a time of 19.99sec and qualified for the semi-finals. He also claimed bronze in the 100m race in Tokyo. The top-ranked runner in the 2025 world list, Lyles has been compared to Jamaican legend Usain Bolt for his similar age group performances.
The main companion of Bednarek in the 200m discipline at the Tokyo Olympics is Lyles. The two have been pushing each other in training, and their rivalry promises to add an extra layer of intensity to the race. Bednarek even mentioned an instance of unsportsmanlike behavior towards Lyles during the US trials.
Joining the American duo and Gout Gout in the semi-finals are Zimbabwe's Tapiwa Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba, along with Dominican Republic's Alexander Ogando and Anguilla-born Briton Hughes. Another notable competitor is Letsile Tebogo, who won the Olympic title in Paris last year, despite false-starting in the men's 100m final in this competition.
The 200m race semi-finals are scheduled for Friday, with the final to be held on Saturday. With such a competitive field, the race promises to be a nail-biting affair. As Bednarek aptly put it, "the medal is not going to be given to me. I have to work for it."
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