Noah Lyles shoved by Kenny Bednarek with US sprinters coming to blows as tense rivaly turns nasty

Noah Lyles was shoved by his American rival Kenny Bednarek during their blistering 200m showdown in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday - before the pair gave a fiery interview together about the race.  

It was Lyles who landed the day's biggest blow on the track, passing  Bednarek for the win and then looking his way to talk some trash. Lyles had passed Bednarek in the final 5 meters of the 200 finals to win the national championship in 19.63 seconds, the world's best time this year and Bednarek's first defeat in 2025. He gave Bednarek a cold stare as he left him behind.

Bednarek's answer was a two-handed shove in the back after the finish line, some more heated words and a challenge for a rematch that, for everyone, can't come soon enough.

'Like I´ve said before, Noah´s going be Noah,' Bednarek said. 'If he wants to stare me down, that's fine.'

Lyles reeled in Bednarek and crossed for a .04-second victory that sets up a rematch at the world championships, on September 19 in Tokyo.

As exhilarating as the race itself was, the best action came after the finish line. There was jawing, the shove and, then, Lyles turning around, backpedaling, reaching his arms out and bouncing up and down like a boxer before lobbing a few more choice words at Bednarek.

Noah Lyles was pushed by his fellow American Kenny Bednarek in a gripping 200m race

The tension between the two took a dramatic twist ahead of September's world championship

Their argument bled into the start of what is normally a celebratory NBC winner's interview.

'I tell ya, if you've got a problem, I expect a call,' Bednarek said, as the network's Lewis Johnson moved the mic between the runners.

Lyles replied: 'You know what, you're right. You´re right. Let´s talk after this.'

Though they shook hands during that tense post-race, Bednarek was fired up well after the sprinters had left the track.

'The summary is, don't do that to me,' he continued. 'I don't do any of that stuff. It's not good character right there. That's pretty much it. At the end of the day, he won the race. I've got to give him props. He was the better man today.'

The win itself was no big surprise for Lyles, the three-time defending world champion who will have to get past Bednarek to make it four in Tokyo. Bednarek was asked what Lyles said as he turned around and gloated after securing his fifth national title at his favorite distance.

'What he said didn't matter, it's just what he did,' Bednarek said. 'Unsportsmanlike and I don't deal with that. It's a respect factor. He's fresh. Last time we lined it up, I beat him, that's all I can say. Next time we line up, I'm going to win. That's all that matters.'

Asked to expand on his role in the tiff, Lyles was less forthcoming: 'On coach's orders, no comment.'

Lyles stared Bednark down as he crossed the finish line ahead of him on Sunday afternoon

But the latest clash may signal the emergence of a rivalry that track sport badly needs

As is common in a year after the Olympics - and in an era after Usain Bolt - track is a sport desperately in need of some energy. 

Up to now, track media and the runners themselves have tried to generate rivalries between Lyles and Erriyon Knighton (fizzled out), or Lyles and Letsile Tebogo (beat him in the Olympics last year) or, of course, between Lyles and NFL receiver Tyreek Hill.

But now, Bednarek has gladly stepped up. He has won silver and beaten Lyles the last two times they've lined up in the 200 at the Olympics, even though Lyles has had issues at both - in Tokyo with his mental health, then in Paris with COVID.

Bednarek referenced some long-simmering issues between the two.

'Just some personal stuff we've got to handle,' he said.

Lyles was in a bullish mood after the race and insisted Bednarek won't beat him in Tokyo

But when asked for something, anything, about this burgeoning rivalry, Lyles demurred, instead focusing on what a difficult year this has been for him after an injury in April kept him out of spikes until June.

'If they ain't gonna beat me now, they ain't gonna beat me ever,' Lyles said.

But Bednarek isn't so sure of that. The 200 final was Bednarek's fifth race of the week, counting the three heats of the 100 meters, where he won the final Friday. Lyles, who has an automatic spot at worlds in that event as the defending champion, only ran one heat of the 100.

'We'll go fresh and we'll see what happens,' Bednarek said. 'Because I'm very confident I can beat him. That's all I can say.'

September 19 can't come soon enough.