ATLANTA, GEORGIA, May 06 — Noah Lyles was eager to see what he could do at 150m, a distance he hadn’t raced in four years.
A couple of days before the adidas Atlanta City Games, a local youth runner asked Lyles, “How fast are you?”
“So fast,” he answered. “The fastest.”
Lyles displayed his blazing speed while thundering down the temporary elevated straightaway in Centennial Olympic Park, but came up short of a record.
The 200’s reigning world champion and American Recordholder ran a personal best of 14.56, the third-fastest time in history. He knocked 0.13 off his previous best from ’19 in Boston, defeating Erriyon Knighton (14.85) and Ferdinand Omanyala of Kenya (14.89 African Record).
Lyles had been aiming for Usain Bolt’s world best of 14.35 run in ’09 in Birmingham, England. Tyson Gay is still the fastest American, having clocked 14.41 en route to a 200 time of 19.41 in ’10 in Manchester.
“But it’s alright,” Lyles said. “It’s a PR, it’s a step forward. I did what I wanted to do, though, which was go 100% from the get-go, command the race by 70m and run away with it.”
Starting in lane 3 on the 5-lane track, Lyles was flanked by Knighton in 4 and Omanyala in 2. Knighton recorded the fastest start, and Lyles said that coming out of his drive phase, “I knew Omanyala was going to try to get up on me… I stood up and I was just like, ‘Yeah, that ain’t enough, partner.’”
While the Olympic bronze medalist graded his first 10 a “C” and the next 10 a “B-plus,” he said “the acceleration, I definitely give that closer to an A.”
Aleia Hobbs brought her A-game, running 10.99 in the final of the women’s 100 after going 10.93 in the heats — 0.07 off her seasonal best 10.86. Training partner Mikiah Brisco (11.02) pushed her until Hobbs burst ahead at the end.
“I’m trying to stay consistent. That’s the No. 1 goal and I’m getting it done,” said Hobbs, who dashed to a 6.94 AR in the 60 at the USATF Indoor in February.
Consistent too was Grant Holloway, the 2-time world champion, who ran a year-leading 13.01 in the 110H. But Holloway was even happier to see that training partner Robert Dunning is right behind him. Before his hometown crowd, Dunning posted a PR of 13.09, taking 0.14 off his previous best from mid April.
“I’m more excited for Rob than he probably is for himself,” said Holloway. “He has the privilege of training with the world No. 1. Not everybody has that privilege. We’re coming to take over the world.”
In the women’s hurdles, another hometown favorite, Tia Jones, upset AR holder Keni Harrison in the final after Harrison had edged her in their heat.
Jones clocked 12.50 to Harrison’s 12.53, while Harrison had a 12.44–12.46 advantage in their first race. Harrison’s heat time, set the Olympic and world silver medalist equal-No. 2 on the year list — tied with Jones, who ran 12.44 at the Drake Relays.
Heptathlon world bronze medalist Anna Hall hurdled a PR of 12.90 in the 100H heats, followed by 12.95 in the final to place 5th. She said that improvement would carry into her first heptathlon of the season in 2 weeks.
“I’m glad I get into these races with the open girls,” Hall said. “I’m not afraid to race anybody, not afraid to lose. And I think it’s just making me a better athlete overall.”
Jamaica’s Oblique Seville won the men’s 100 in 9.99, but came off the track limping with a foot injury. Akani Simbine of South Africa and Zharnel Hughes of Great Britain both clocked 10.01s, but Simbine’s was 0.005 faster.
Tamari Davis led the top three finishers in the women’s 150 to PRs, running 16.44, followed by Daryll Neita (16.48) and Gabby Thomas (16.50), who ran a blistering 49.68 in the 400 last month.
Ajee’ Wilson followed up her Penn Relays win in the 600 with a 1:27.00 while Bryce Hoppel captured the men’s race in 1:17.13.
“I was a little nervous,” said Hoppel, the World Indoor bronze medalist in the 800. “There were tight turns and I had never run on the roads before, and I had never run a 600 before. So it was fun to come out here and kind of learn it.”
The vaults were the only field events at the meet, which was the adidas Boost Boston Games in its previous incarnations.
Austin Miller defeated Jacob Wooten and two-time world champion Sam Kendricks, with all three clearing 18-8¾ (5.71), while Emily Grove posted a season-best 14-11½ (4.56) to lead the women’s field.
ADIDAS ATLANTA MEN’S RESULTS
100(-0.2): 1. Oblique Seville (Jam) 9.99; 2. Akani Simbine (SA) 10.01; 3. Zharnel Hughes (GB) 10.01; 4. Ryiem Forde (Jam) 10.07 PR; 5. Terrance Laird (US) 10.11
150: I(0.3)–1. Noah Lyles (US) 14.56 (WL, AL) (3, 3 W; 2, 2 A);
2. Erriyon Knighton (US) 14.85; 3. Ferdinand Omanyala (Ken) 14.89; 4. Antonio Watson (Jam) 14.93; 5. Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (GB) 15.05.
II(1.0)–1. Jereem Richards (Tri) 14.83; 2. Chris Royster (US) 14.89; 3. Brandon Carnes (US) 14.97; 4. Ameer Webb (US) 15.10.
Road 600: 1. Bryce Hoppel (US) 1:17.2; 2. Kameron Jones (US) 1:17.5; 3. Rajay Hamilton (Jam) 1:18.0; 4. Ryan Sánchez (PR) 1:18.1; 5. Christian Harrison (US) 1:19.6; 6. Abraham Alvarado (US) 1:19.7.
Road Mile: 1. Sam Prakel (US) 4:03.4; 2. Hobbs Kessler (US) 4:03.7; 3. Eric Avila (US) 4:04.0; 4. Andrew Hunter (US) 4:05.7; 5. Paul Ryan (US) 4:05.7; 6. Mason Ferlic (US) 4:06.5; 7. Shane Streich (US) 4:12.1; 8. Josh Hoey (US) 4:12.7.
110H(0.0): 1. Grant Holloway (US) 13.01 (WL, AL);
2. Robert Dunning (US) 13.09 PR; 3. Jamal Britt (US) 13.14; 4. Trey Cunningham (US) 13.41; 5. Freddie Crittenden (US) 13.43.
PV: 1. Austin Miller (US) 18-8¾ (5.71); 2. Jacob Wooten (US) 18-8¾; 3. Sam Kendricks (US) 18-8¾; 4. Luke Winder (US) 18-4¾ (5.61); 5. Matt Ludwig (US) 18-4¾; 6. Clayton Fritsch (US) 17-11 (5.46).
ATLANTA WOMEN’S RESULTS
100(0.2): 1. Aleia Hobbs (US) 10.99; 2. Mikiah Brisco (US) 11.02; 3. Ashanti Moore (Jam) 11.10 =PR; 4. Celera Barnes (US) 11.14; 5. Gina Lückenkemper (Ger) 11.16. Heats: I(1.2)–1. Hobbs 10.93.
150: I(0.1)–1. Tamari Davis (US) 16.44; 2. Daryll Neita (GB) 16.48; 3. Gabby Thomas (US) 16.50; 4. Anavia Battle (US) 16.71; 5. Lynna Irby-Jackson (US) 16.74.
II(0.1)–1. Angie Annelus (US) 16.58; 2. Remona Burchell (Jam) 16.73; 3. Lauren Rain Williams (US) 16.86.
Road 600: 1. Ajee’ Wilson (US) 1:27.0; 2. Natoya Goule (Jam) 1:28.2; 3. Samantha Watson (US) 1:28.5; 4. Courtney Okolo (US) 1:29.0; 5. Olivia Baker (US) 1:29.1; 6. Brittany Aveni (US) 1:29.1; 7. Kaela Edwards (US) 1:29.2.
Road Mile: 1. Taryn Rawlings (US) 4:40.2; 2. Anna Camp Bennett (US) 4:43.2; 3. Allie Wilson (US) 4:43.2; 4. Gemma Finch (GB) 4:44.9; 5. Presley Weems (US) 4:49.4; 6. Hannah Segrave (GB) 4:53.1; 7. Rachael Walters (US) 4:53.9.
100H(0.4): 1. Tia Jones (US) 12.50; 2. Keni Harrison (US) 12.53; 3. Amber Hughes (US) 12.78; 4. Ebony Morrison (Lbr) 12.81; 5. Anna Hall (US) 12.95 (12.90h PR).
PV: 1. Emily Grove (US) 14-11½ (4.56); 2. tie, Rachel Baxter (US) & Anicka Newell (Can) 14-7½ (4.46); 4. Gabriela Leon (US) 14-3½ (4.36);… nh—Olivia Gruver (US), Kristen Brown (US). ◻︎