Athletics: Lyles and Alfred Shine at Monaco Diamond League with Impressive Wins
Noah Lyles sent a clear message to his competitors in the 200m event at the World Championships with a stunning comeback victory at the Diamond League meet in Monaco. The American sprinter clocked an impressive 19.88 seconds, edging out Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, who finished second with a time of 19.97 seconds.
Lyles, who recently returned from a tendon injury, expressed his joy after the race: “I pray for times like this to be out here and do what I love. I come out here and I give my best.” His performance at the packed Stade Louis II showcased his readiness for the upcoming challenges, drawing cheers from fans eager to see the star in action.
In the women’s 100m event, Julien Alfred also made headlines with a comfortable victory, finishing in 10.79 seconds. She outpaced American Jacious Sears, who clocked 11.02 seconds, further solidifying her position as a top contender in the sprinting world.
The meet featured several standout performances, including a thrilling men’s 800m race where Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi narrowly missed breaking David Rudisha’s legendary world record. Wanyonyi finished in a meet record and world-leading time of 1:41.44, with American Josh Hoey following closely behind in 1:42.01.
In the women’s 400m hurdles, Dutch champion Femke Bol continued her dominance, winning in a remarkable 51.95 seconds. This victory marked her 26th consecutive win in the Diamond League since 2021, demonstrating her consistent excellence in the sport.
Pole vault sensation Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis made his mark once again, breaking the meet record with a vault of 6.05m. Although he attempted to raise the bar to 6.29m—1cm above his recent world record—he was unable to clear it, concluding his competition for the evening.
Other notable results included Dominican Marileidy Paulino edging out Aaliyah Butler in the women’s 400m flat, and victories for American Trey Cunningham in the men’s short hurdles and Jamaica’s Megan Tapper in the women’s short hurdles.
