EUGENE, Ore. — Track turned into a contact sport Sunday when Kenny Bednarek shoved Noah Lyles after Lyles beat him to the finish line in the 200-meter final at the U.S. championships.
Lyles reeled in Bednarek in the homestretch to win in 19.63 seconds.
As he was crossing the finish line, Lyles turned to Bednarek in the lane next to him and started jawing at him. A few steps after they crossed, Bednarek reached out and gave Lyles a two-handed shove.
Lyles turned around, backpedaled and reached his arms out, then kept jawing at Bednarek. Their argument continued into the start of the NBC interview.
“I tell ya, if you’ve got a problem, I expect a call,” Bednarek said.
Lyles replied: “You know what, you’re right. You’re right. Let’s talk after this.”
Asked by the network’s Lewis Johnson what happened, Bednarek said: “I’m not going to say it out here, but we got something to do and talk about.”
The next chapter figures to play out Sept. 19 in Japan, where they’ll be among the favorites in the 200-meter final. Lyles is trying to match Usain Bolt with four straight world titles in his best race.
Lyles had a slow start to a season that has featured Bednarek opening as the dominant sprinter of 2025. Bednarek won the 100 meters Friday and also beat Lyles at the Olympics last year, finishing second in a race in which Lyles won bronze while suffering with COVID-19.
“It was a pretty difficult championship,” Lyles said. “I’ve been tired. It’s been rough. Coming out here when you’re not 100 percent and being able to say, ‘I still got to give my all no matter what happens.’ That’s tough. That’s tough.”
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the 200 in a personal-best time of 21.84 seconds, while Olympic champion Gabby Thomas had to wait a few anxious moments to see if she earned a spot on the world team. She did as her named popped up in third place.
It was a winning weekend for Jefferson-Wooden, who also captured the 100 on Friday. She will be joined in the 100 at worlds by Sha’Carri Richardson, who has an automatic spot as the defending champion. Richardson didn’t advance to the final in the 200.
The women’s 400 hurdles was wide open with Olympic champion and world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone electing to focus on the open 400 (she won the event Saturday). Dalilah Muhammad, 35, took control and cruised to the win.
One of the afternoon’s most exciting finishes was in the men’s 800 meters, where 2019 world champion Donavan Brazier used a strong kick to hold off 16-year-old Cooper Lutkenhaus and Bryce Hoppel.
