Noah Lyles (left) is shoved by Kenny Bednarek (right). Credit : Patrick Smith/Getty
Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek are involved in a feud following their 200m race at the 2025 USATF World Championship trials.
The men’s 200m final at the USATF Tokyo World Championship Trials, held a week ago at Hayward Field, was expected to be decided by times, but instead ended with tensions high and a rivalry visibly reignited.
Noah Lyles stormed down the home straight to record a world-leading 19.63 seconds, edging Kenny Bednarek by four hundredths.
Moments after crossing the line, Lyles turned toward his rival, locked eyes, and appeared to shove him with both hands. The incident drew gasps from the crowd and quickly sparked debate among fans and analysts.
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Bednarek, visibly displeased, responded with a brief handshake before telling Lyles, “Never do that to me again.” Their exchange has since dominated athletics discussions online, with many predicting a fierce rematch when the pair meet again at the World Championships in September.
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Former Olympic 100m champion Donovan Bailey said his initial reaction was that the contact may have been accidental.
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Donovan Bailey Former Canadian sprinter Donovan Bailey
“I actually thought Noah stayed in his lane,” Bailey said on his YouTube channel. “From my angle, it looked like he was on the outside of Kenny coming into the curve.
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“Honestly, I didn’t think much of it at the time. Obviously, it’s huge news now, but I just thought Noah was doing what Noah does.”
Bailey welcomed the psychological gamesmanship but cautioned against crossing certain lines.
“There’s always chirping in this sport, and I love it — as long as you don’t touch anyone. You can say whatever you want, do whatever antics motivate you, and if that helps you win championships, go for it.”
Bailey said Bednarek appeared to start the race with intent, but Lyles’ composure ultimately proved decisive.
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“Kenny’s a 9.7 guy now, so when I saw him leading off the curve, I thought, ‘This is going to be interesting.’ Both of them can run top-class 200m and 400m races, but Noah stayed tall, stayed relaxed, and just breathed. Kenny tightened up — and that was it.”
Bailey warned Bednarek not to allow the moment to linger.
“Don’t let Noah get in your head. If you do, it’s over. You might beat him once in a Diamond League, but when it matters, you won’t. I’ve been there — I’ve gotten in people’s heads — and in the big moments, I never lost.”
His closing advice was simple: “Chalk it up to a bad day at the office. A couple of mistakes, sure, but it was still a good race. And Noah? He did his thing.”
Where to Watch Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Kishane Thompson and Co in Budapest
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Kishane Thompson.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Kishane Thompson, and top global athletes will compete at the Gyulai István Memorial in Budapest, with live coverage available worldwide.
Jamaican sprinting legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, and Kishane Thompson are among the stars set to compete at the Gyulai István Memorial in Budapest on Tuesday, July 12.
For Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, this, marks her return to competition as she prepares for her ninth and final World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September.
The 38-year-old, a 10-time world champion, will race in the women’s 100m against a strong field including Africa’s fastest woman, Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith, along with Tamari Davis, Tina Clayton, Maia McCoy, and Boglárka Takács.
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Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce last competed in June, securing her spot for the upcoming World Championships.
On his part, Kishane Thompson has been in great shape, and is currently the fastest man this season, with his 9.75 seconds that he ran at the Jamaican Championships.
The meet, part of the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold series, will also feature several other Olympic and world medallists fine-tuning their preparations for the World Championships.
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Among the notable athletes competing are pole vault star Mondo Duplantis, hammer throw world and Olympic champion Ethan Katzberg, 400m hurdles specialist Femke Bol, and long jump champion Miltiadis Tentoglou.
Gyulai István Memorial 2025 Schedule – All times are CEST (GMT +2)
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
15:45 – Official Opening
16:00 – Men’s Hammer Throw
16:05 – Men’s 100m (National) / Women’s Long Jump
16:12 – Amateur Women’s Final
16:20 – Amateur Men’s Final
16:30 – Advanced Women’s Final / Men’s Pole Vault
16:40 – Advanced Men’s Final / Women’s Pole Vault
16:50 – Women’s U18 100m
17:00 – Women’s 400m (National)
17:10 – Men’s 400m (National)
17:20 – Men’s 60m (International) / Men’s High Jump
17:34 – Women’s 400m Hurdles
17:44 – Men’s 800m
17:53 – Women’s 1500m
18:00 – Men’s Long Jump
18:05 – Women’s 200m / Men’s Shot Put
18:15 – Men’s 200m
18:25 – Women’s 100m Hurdles
18:35 – Men’s 110m Hurdles
18:45 – Men’s 3000m
19:00 – Women’s 400m
19:10 – Men’s 400m
19:19 – Women’s 100m
19:27 – Men’s 100m
19:33 – Awards Ceremony
How to Watch Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Kishane Thompson & Co
Kishane Thompson
Kishane Thompson. Kishane Thompson has joined an elite company led by Usain Bolt.
The Gyulai István Memorial will be broadcast live internationally, with streaming available on the World Athletics website and coverage on various TV networks, including SuperSport for Kenyan fans. Coverage begins at 17:30 CEST (GMT +2).
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