The first-round 200-meter heat was basically everything his title race in the 100 the night before was not.
SAINT-DENIS, France — Noah Lyles returned to the track Monday night to start the quest for his second Olympic gold medal, cruising through his first-round 200-meter heat in 20.19 seconds.
Lyles beat defending Olympic champion Andre De Grasse of Canada by .11 seconds in what was a routine, no-drama run through the curve — in other words, everything his title race in the 100 the night before was not.
Lyles edged out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by .005 seconds in that one — a race that goes down as one of the best ever on the Olympic track, or anywhere. Both sprinters, along with Fred Kerley, were scheduled to receive their medals at the end of the evening’s action.
Also advancing in the 200 were Americans Erriyon Knighton (20.00) and Kenny Bednarek, who ran 19.97 and could very well be Lyles’ biggest challenger come the final set for Thursday,
Lyles is trying to become the first man to double since Usain Bolt did it for the third time at the Rio Games in 2016. Carl Lewis is the last U.S. man to pull it off in the 100-200, back in 1984 in Los Angeles.
Lyles came onto the track while the men’s pole vault final was at its midpoint, with Mondo Duplantis of Sweden in the mix to defend his Olympic title.
Gabby Thomas, the favorite in the women’s 200 now that Jamaica’s world champion, Shericka Jackson, has pulled out, was set to run her semifinal heat.
Other finals were in the women’s 800 and 5,000, where Faith Kipyegon was going for the first leg of what would be an unprecedented women’s 1,500-5,000 double at the Olympics.
