The 27-year-old showcased his speed as he sprinted to victory in the men’s 100m final on Sunday and is now setting his sights on more success in Paris.
Lyles is expected to breeze through the 200m heats on Monday, with the semifinals scheduled for Wednesday and the final the following day.
The American star has already sent a bold message about Bolt’s world record of 19.19 seconds, which has stood for nearly 15 years.
Speaking in 2023, Lyles confidently stated: “I know that I’m going to break it.
“After watching someone achieve greatness, people’s second favorite hobby is watching them fail.
“People love to see others fail. I don’t know why, but that’s just how it is. Whenever someone says they want to achieve something great, there’s always someone ready to say they can’t do it.
“I couldn’t care less about what others think. They don’t know me, my story, my work ethic, or my talent. But I know.”
Lyles celebrates his victory in the men’s 100m in Paris.
Lyles has waited patiently for his moment in the spotlight and is now known for his confidence and swagger.
The U.S. star has remained unbeaten in the 200m since finishing a disappointing third at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Of the 10 fastest 200m times recorded worldwide since the Tokyo Games, Lyles has clocked eight of them.
“I’m going to motivate myself no matter what,” Lyles added. “I’m going to win no matter what. I didn’t need a rival at Worlds to run 19.3 because nobody was close to me when I did that.”
Lyles’ closest attempt to breaking Bolt’s record, set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, is 19.31 – a U.S. record he set in Eugene in 2022.
