Lyles feels Usain Bolt’s 200m World Record is within reach

American sprint sensation Noah Lyles was left beaming from ear to ear after his impressive performance at the 2023 edition of the Racers Grand Prix on Saturday.

The World Champion over 200m stopped the clock at a Meet Record of 19.67 seconds after leaving the field for dead as he powered away in the straight.

He believes he’s ahead of where he was at this stage last year and once he cleans up his execution, Usain Bolt’s World Record of 19.19 seconds could come under threat.

“I’m alright with it, it’s definitely not what I was getting at the end of last year, but that’s what starting a new year off is, but I’m glad to see the time, 19.6, I don’t think I saw 19.6 like later in June last year, so there’s a lot of things to clean up which is exciting because I’m glad to see a time like that,” Lyles told the Jamaican media after the race.

One specific area of concern for Lyles, and the area he hopes to correct, is the start phase of his execution.

“First 10 meters and the second 10 meters,” he said. “I realise, especially in the 60 earlier in the indoor season, that was my weakest point and if I can clean that up it will make drastic differences down the road,” he warned.

When asked if 19.19 was his target, he replied, bluntly: “19.10”.

Still, he was pleased with the support of the Jamaican crowd.

“A good crowd makes for a better performance. I say it every time you get average me when you get a mediocre crowd and what we got tonight was nothing short of amazing.”