Noah Lyles took the world lead in securing the national championship in the 100-meter dash.His time of 9.79 seconds Friday matched his personal best — the same time that won him gold in the 2024 Summer Olympics. It was good enough to easily beat the field at the 2026 U.S. outdoor national championships at Icahn Stadium in New York and also establish the top time in the world this season.Robbie Baker took second at 9.875 seconds. He edged out Lyles’ chief rival, Kenny Bednarek, whose 9.88 earned him the bronze.
Noah does it again 😤@LylesNoah ran a world-leading 9.79 to win his third U.S. men’s 100m title. The victory all marks his eighth outdoor and 10th overall national title 🥇👏
200m up next 👀#TeamUSATF | #USATFOutdoors pic.twitter.com/bgTq6ifdsB
— USATF (@usatf) July 25, 2026Lyles topped the previous world lead of 9.82 seconds, set last month by Jamaican Oblique Seville, the reigning world champion in the 100.
It was Lyles’ third U.S. title in the event and third 100-meter victory in the last three months. He won the Golden Grand Prix in Tokyo in May, posting a time of 9.95 seconds. In June, at the Golden Gala Pietro Mennea in Italy, he ran the 100 in 9.88 seconds.So Friday’s 9.79 is a product of Lyles’ steady progression even in a non-Olympic year.Lyles — with Christian Coleman on his left and Bednarek to his right — found himself fifth halfway through the race. But his trademark closing speed surged him to a comfortable win.Lyles and Bednarek clashed in the 200-meter race at the 2025 U.S. championships. Bednarek lost a lead late to Lyles, who shot a taunting glance as he passed Bednarek. Bednarek followed with a slight shove of Lyles as they throttled down.The moment added fuel to their rivalry. But at the 2025 world championships, Lyles won his fourth consecutive world gold in the 200 by holding off Bednarek down the stretch.Lyles is the best 200-meter sprinter in the world — though Bednarek took silver in the event at the Summer Olympics, besting Lyles, who took third while battling COVID. But Lyles is more vulnerable in the 100, his second-best event.Still, Bednarek can’t seem to get the best of Lyles when the stakes are the highest.
