Noah Lyles Takes Bronze Medal In 200M At Tokyo Olympics

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria graduate Noah Lyles earned a bronze medal in the men's 200-meter final at the Tokyo Olympics Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Lyles placed third with a time of 19.74. Canadian Andre de Grasse finished first with a time of 19.62 seconds. Fellow American Kenny Bednarek earned silver with a second place finish of 19.68 seconds.

The current 200m world record of 19.19 seconds set by Jamaica's Usain Bolt at the 2009 World Championships remains unbroken. However, de Grasse got a chance to earn gold after taking second to Bolt in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Lyles secured a spot on the Olympic team this year after missing out in 2016 by six-hundredths of a second. During Olympic trials this year, he had the world-leading time of 19.74 seconds in the trial final. His fastest time in the 200m was 19.50 seconds in 2019, making him the fourth-fastest man in the world in the 200m. Lyles, a 2016 graduate of the newly-renamed Alexandria City High School, turned pro with his brother Josephus Lyles.

Alexandrians can cheer on another Alexandria City High School graduate, Tynita Butts-Townsend, in the women's high jump. The qualification round will happen at 8:10 p.m. Wednesday Eastern Time. The final is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 7 at 6:35 a.m. Eastern Time.