Noah Lyles pushed by rival after heated 200m race
Kenny Bednarek confronted the Team USA sprinter at the Toyota USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships.
Noah Lyles finished first in the 200m race at the Toyota USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships but it wasn’t without controversy.
The Olympic 100m gold medalist beat Kenny Bednarek to the first place on Sunday but the two men appeared to clash after the race. Lyles came from behind to edge out Bednarek in the final strides of the race, running a US record-equaling in a time of 19.63 seconds. It is the best time recorded anywhere in the world this year.
Just after Lyles crossed the finish line he received a shove from Bednarek, who seemed to object to a testy stare that Lyles gave him. Lyles then responded by spinning and nonchalantly celebrating his win with his arms outstretched.
This atmosphere continued as Bednarek approached Lyles for a post-race handshake and the Olympic champion held off on offering a hand for a few tense moments. Finally, the two men shared a brief handshake but it was clear that neither was too impressed with the other’s behavior.
Within moments of the race finish, both competitors were interviewed on air by NBC Sports and they appeared to be referencing an ongoing issue between them.
“I expected a call,” Bednarek can be heard telling Lyles at the start of the interview. “I’m telling you, if you’ve got a problem, I expected a call. That’s all I’m saying.
“You know what? You’re right,” Lyles responded. “Let’s talk after this.”
“I’m not gonna say it out here,” Bednarek said. “But we’ve got something to do and talk about. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
The two will meet again next month when they represent Team USA at the World Championships in Tokyo. Lyles, as reigning Olympic champion, had already qualified and Bednarek confirmed his spot in the team with Sunday’s second-place finish.
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