Lyles achieves personal best in 100-meter race ahead of Olympics

Noah Lyles showcased his readiness for the Olympic 100 meters with a stellar performance on Saturday, setting a new personal best of 9.81 seconds at the final Diamond League meet before the Paris Games. The American world champion delivered on his promise in front of a packed crowd of 60,000, the largest in the Diamond League circuit, improving by two hundredths of a second from his previous best.

South Africa’s Akani Simbine finished second in 9.86 seconds, followed by Letsile Tebogo of Botswana in third with 9.88 seconds, making it a race where the top five runners all broke the 10-second barrier.

Lyles has emerged as a prominent figure in athletics, securing the 100m world title in Budapest last year to complement his success in the 200m, where he has won three titles including an Olympic bronze.

“I had a lot of fun out there,” said Lyles, who faced a slow start but surged ahead in the latter part of the race. “My start could have been better, but I managed to make up for it with strong transitions. Achieving a personal best is something I’ve prayed for and aimed at.”

In the women’s 200m, American Gabby Thomas clinched victory with a late surge, narrowly beating Julien Alfred of St. Lucia in an exciting finish.

British athlete Keely Hodgkinson set a new national record and demonstrated her dominance in the 800m with a commanding win in 1:54.61, leading a British podium sweep. The 22-year-old, who won silver in Tokyo, is now considered a favorite for Olympic gold.

Matthew Hudson-Smith of Britain set a new European record and world-leading time of 43.74 seconds in the men’s 400m, marking a remarkable comeback after recovering from an Achilles tendon injury last year.

Jamaica’s Nickisha Pryce impressed with a world-leading time of 48.57 seconds to claim victory in the women’s 400m, while Femke Bol of the Netherlands dominated the women’s 400m hurdles in 51.30 seconds, solidifying her position as a top contender for gold in Paris.