Physical discomfort forced us to stop
Noah Lyles stopped midway through the 200-meter final at the U.S. track and field championships in New York on Sunday. The four-time world champion in the distance felt a muscle pull and decided not to force it. “I thought: this is the time to stop. There is no reason to force this,” he declared. Garrett Kaalund, 22 years old and fresh from the NCAA college title, took advantage of the opportunity and took the win with a time of 20.04.
Lyles, who a week earlier had won the 100 meters, explained that the discomfort was “kind of like a cramp.” He assured that he is fine and just needs to stretch and replenish electrolytes. This was just the fourth time Lyles has lost the 200 since dominating the event in 2018. His other losses occurred in the last two Olympic Games. Still, he remains tied with Michael Johnson with five national titles in the distance.
In the women’s division, world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden defended her title with a time of 21.69, her best mark of the season. Her main rival, Gabby Thomas, did not participate in nationals. Jefferson-Wooden was optimistic about the future: “I feel like women’s sprinting today is interesting from the moment we get to the starting line. These next few years are going to be interesting to watch.”
There are no world championships this year, but World Athletics is preparing the Ultimate Championships, with a first prize of $150,000. The Los Angeles Olympics are two years away, and the competition in the 200 meters promises to be intense.
