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The 2004 Olympic champion gave an explanation, revealing why Noah Lyles was not in the best position to win the 200m, whether he was healthy or not.
American track legend Justin Gatlin has explained why Noah Lyles was not going to win the 200m even if he would have been healthy.
Gatlin explained that Lyles had given all his energy in the men’s 100m and going into the 200m, there was not much left for him to offer.
Speaking on his Ready Set Go podcast, the 2004 Olympic 100m champion added that competing against strong athletes like Kenny Bednarek, Letsile Tebogo and Erriyon Knighton took a toll on him and going into the final, Lyles could only afford to win a bronze medal.
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Tebogo won the men’s 200m, setting a new African record time of 19.46 as Bednarek came in second in a time of 19.62. Lyles, fresh from winning the men’s 100m Olympic title, completed the podium, clocking 19.70 to cross the finish line.
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“Through the rounds, he just didn’t look like himself. He didn’t have the same energy going into the preliminaries and semis. The look on his face told me he was tired. ‘You just had enough to show up and be the showman that you are.’,” Gatlin said.
“Then, it was announced that he had COVID-19 and he came afterwards and said he had COVID-19, watching him lay over that track. As I said again, regardless of whether he had COVID or not. It was a fact, I understand that when you push your body to the maximum in one event, the 100m and you have to come back the next day to get ready for the 200m and run rounds, competitively against Kenny Bednarek and Letsile Tebogo,” he added.
The two-time Olympic silver medallist gave Lyles his flowers, noting that after the daunting task in the 100m, he still managed to come out and claim the bronze medal in the 200m.
“To go out there and run knowing that your body is taxed and still be able to come and get on the podium is a feat in itself,” he added.
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