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Noah Lyles wins the 200, Knighton breaks Bolt's record, both headed to Tokyo

US Track Trials Athletics
Posted at 4:38 PM, Jun 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-28 16:38:30-04

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Noah Lyles won the 200 meters at the U.S. track and field trials, earning a spot on the Olympic team.

Lyles won in 19.74 seconds, the best time in the world this season. He is among the favorites to win the event in Tokyo after winning the gold medal at the 2019 world championships in Doha.

Also earning spots on the team were runner-up Kenny Bednarek, who finished in a personal best 19.78, and teenager Erriyon Knighton, third in 19.84.

Knighton, 17, is the youngest male track Olympian since Jim Ryun in 1964.

According to USA Today, it wasn't until his freshman year of high school that he finally decided to give track and field a shot. He participated in his first major competition was in 2019, and he finished fifth in the 200-meter dash.

The AP reported that Knighton has also broken records set by Usain Bolt in the 200 meters. Earlier this month, Knighton ran the 200 in 20.11 seconds, which Bolt set the record in 2003 and then broke Bolt's record set in 2004 by running a 19.88 at the Olympic trials.

The trio were the final Americans to earn spots in the Olympics across 28 sports.