BERMUDA – World champion Noah Lyles was all smiles after a wind-aided 9.96-second win in the men’s 100 metres at the Bermuda Grand Prix on April 28, but said he had plenty to work on ahead of the United States Olympic trials.
Lyles, 200m bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, got off to a slow start off the blocks. But he found his speed after 50m to finish 0.13sec ahead of Canadian Aaron Brown, with compatriot Pjai Austin third in 10.10sec.
“I thought it was a pretty well put-together race,” Lyles said.
“I thought I had a pretty average start. My acceleration kicked in and I felt like it was brand new territory running fast that last 40 metres after so many 60s (indoors).
“I’m excited to finally be getting there but there’s definitely a lot to clean up.”
It was an improvement for the 26-year-old Lyles after a 10.01sec finish at the Tom Jones Memorial meet earlier in April, with the US trials set for June.
“I see 9.96 – I expect to run that in the next meet,” he said. “Definitely glad not to see 10.3, so very glad to see 9.96.”
Three-time Olympic medallist Kirani James opened up an enormous lead through the final stretch to win the men’s 400m in 46.00sec, more than a second faster than second-placed Alonzo Russell of the Bahamas.
The 31-year-old Grenadian hopes to make a fourth straight Olympic final in Paris, after winning in London 2012, taking silver in Rio 2016 and bronze in Tokyo in 2021.
“It felt good, it felt easy,” he said. “Right now I think the main thing too is just to try to enjoy… being a part of track and field because it’s given so much to me...
“To have a performance, conditions are not conducive, but it is what it is. I let the wind carry me home to the finish line.”
Abby Steiner, running her first 200m since heel surgery last year, cruised to victory in a wind-aided 22.71sec, ahead of fellow American Kynnedy Flannel (23.01sec).
Jamaica’s Ashanti Moore was third in 23.12.
“Excited to get the first one under my belt,” said Steiner.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards won the men’s 200m in 20.39sec, edging out American defending champion Matthew Boling by 0.03sec with a 4.9m/sec tailwind.
Richards, 30, ran a personal-best 100m of 10.19sec at the Clermont race the previous week and has kept momentum from the effort.
“It meant a lot to me, boosted my confidence, showed me I have some speed and I can run the 100,” said Richards.
“Just try to concentrate and stay focused on me. I can’t control what anybody else does.” REUTERS, AFP
