Noah Lyles bold claim of having an iconic 2024 season began with his first title of the year after winning the USATF Indoor Championships ahead of Christian Coleman in the men's 60m event.
In the most anticipated race at the USATF Indoor Championships, Noah Lyles reigned supreme over Christian Coleman to win his first 60m title.
The race lived up to its hype as both men crossed the finish line almost at the same time, but the triple champion had done enough with his unbelievable last 10m speed for victory in a new lifetime best of 6.43s ahead of the World Record holder's 6.44s.
Before his win, Lyles had never defeated Coleman in a 60m race, but his improvement in the past two years has been extremely impressive, even having the 2024 world-leading time of 6.44s heading to the championships.
“I was expecting whatever it took to win. Everybody gets focused on world records, but at the end of the day, it happens at the right place at the right time…," said Lyles in a post-race interview with Citius Mag.
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"I dreamed of the day that my 60m got faster. I come out here every year trying to get faster and faster and faster. To be honest, if I hadn't faced Christian so many times, I couldn't boost my confidence enough to say, 'I'm ready to come out here and take on everybody.' So I thank this man truly because he is who he is.
"I’m just excited that I’m running this fast this consistently, cause that just means outdoor is going to be a whole other ball court,” he concluded.
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Coleman, who had only lost once in the 60m since his college days and never lost at a US Indoor Championships before, showed respect to Lyles for his impressive performance.
"Of course, you don't like to lose at all, but it's always respect and it's love. We just keep working. We'll be there at Worlds," he said.
Both speedsters will represent the USA in the men's 60m event at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow next month, where they'll continue their rivalry for the world title.