Lyles hints at special performance at Racers Grand Prix

American sprinter and reigning 100 and 200 metres World champion, Noah Lyles, has hinted at a special performance tonight at the Racer Grand Prix. Lyles is set to compete in the men’s 100m and he has made it clear he is aiming for the stars.

Lyles has not shied away from his ambitions of breaking Usain Bolt’s world 100m record of 9.58 seconds, and while the record is not yet under threat, Lyles is aiming to break the National Stadium record of 9.75 set by Yohan Blake in 2012.

With a current personal best of 9.83, Lyles is confident he can produce something special following the results from his training this season.

“Every day it’s in the back of my mind. Every day I train as if I’m getting close and closer because every year I get closer and closer,” he said. “Especially this year, we’ve made a lot of headway in our 100m training and I’m very eager to show everybody how much headway we’ve made on Saturday because it’s been consistent.

“It’s one thing if you get it once or twice in practice, but we’ve been seeing it happen week after week, run after run.”

Lyles will be making his third appearance at the Racers Grand Prix and said it is always a special occasion when he competes in Jamaica.

CHOOSING EVENTS

“I’d say, especially in the US, you have to pick and choose your places that you’re going to run at. If you go to Eugene, Oregon, of course they’re going to turn out a big crowd for the Prefontaine and for the US Championships,” he said. “When it comes to Jamaica, I tell everybody that you get treated like a rock star, it’s nothing that you’re going to get anywhere else.”

He will face off against the Jamaican trio of Oblique Seville, Tyquendo Tracey and Kadrian Goldson, alongside Kenyan Ferdinand Omanyala in the 100m.

While speaking at the Racers Grand Prix press conference yesterday, Lyles also laid down the gauntlet in the men’s 200m for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.

According to Lyles, the 200m Olympic title is firmly in his grasp and said he is prepared to show his pedigree at the USA Olympic Trials set to run from June 21 through to June 30.

“The 200m is definitely going to be easier. I have a firm chokehold on the 200m right now. I’ll say I’m kinda just letting everybody play their cards for now. But I’ll definitely play some jokers, big and small, during the Olympic trials and after the Olympic trials and definitely at the Olympics”

Also headlining the Racers Grand Prix will be St Lucia’s World Indoor champion Julien Alfred in the women’s 100m. Alfred will clash against a stacked field which includes top local runners Alana Reid, Kemba Nelson, Krystal Sloley and Tina Clayton.

Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell will open his season in the men’s 110m hurdles while the Jamaican duo of Tajay Gayle and Shawn-D Thompson will compete in the men’s long jump. Also down to compete is world under-20 triple jump record holder Jaydon Hibbert.

The Racers Grand Prix is set to start tonight at the National Stadium at 7.