Paris 2024 Olympics: Who will stop Noah Lyles?

Noah Lyles proved once again that he is the man to beat in Paris and having silenced four of his Olympics rivals on Saturday, his opponents have their work cut out in France.

World 100m and 200m champion Noah Lyles laid down the marker when he beat a star-studded 100m cast at the London Diamond League on Saturday.

Lyles recorded a personal best time of 9.81 to win his final event before the Olympics in what was a major statement of intent.

Crucially, the American beat four of his Olympics rivals in Akani Simbine of South Africa, who was second in 9.86, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, third on the day in 9.88, Jamaican Ackeem Blake, who managed fifty place (9.97) and Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, who was sixth after clocking 10 seconds.

Lyles showed great quality to storm to the finish line after Tebogo appeared to have had a better start and it is the kind of form that makes him the man to beat in Paris.

Even though his other competitors such as Kishane Thompson, Ferdinand Omanyala, Oblique Seville and Kenny Bednarek were not in London, the manner in which Lyles commanded the race suggests it will be hard to stop him at the Olympics.

“A PB and getting faster before Paris. I wanted to dip under the 9.80 – I thought I was going to get a wind like everyone else. I know exactly where I am ahead of Paris,” Lyles said after the race.

“I knew we’d be getting more eyes on us, I’ve been waiting for this for six years! I live for the biggest moments, the more eyes the better I perform. As soon as I get on the stage when the TV is on and people are watching, I perform.”

There will certainly be more eyes in the stadium and on TV in Paris which will likely unleash the beast in Lyles.

His competitors will have to devise a proper strategy to come even close as he looks ready for the grand stage, having backed it up with top performances.

Heading into Paris, only Thompson (9.77) and Omanyala (9.79) have run faster times than Lyles but the two have not competed against him this season so it is difficult to judge what the outcome would have been.

He has, however, beaten Omanyala on numerous occasions before and this season, his only loss in 100m was to Jamaican Seville in June when he finished second in 9.85 as his rival clocked 9.82.