Kenny Bednarek shoves winner Noah Lyles after spicy 200M final at USATF National Championships
After the race's conclusion, tension between the pair carried over into a post-race interview with NBC.
The high-stakes matchup was the latest between the two world-class sprinters. Lyles is a three-time world champion (2019, 2022, 2023) in the event and defeated Bednarek at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials ahead of the Paris Games.
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But Bednarek got the best of Lyles in Paris with a silver-medal finish ahead of Lyles' bronze-medal run that denied him double Olympic gold after Lyles was victorious in the 100 meters. Lyles later revealed that he ran the 200 meters in Paris while sick with COVID-19.
Bednarek, meanwhile, has been the dominant male sprinter on the circuit this year and was undefeated in the event in 2025 — until Sunday.
Look leads to shove leads to words
Bednarek got the early jump in Sunday's final before Lyles ran him down from behind on the straightaway. Lyles passed Bednarek late to cross the finish line first with a time of 19.63 seconds for his fifth U.S. championship in the event. Bednarek settled for the silver medal with a time of 19.67 seconds.
As they crossed the finish line, Lyles gave Bednarek a look from his place one lane to Bednarek's right. Bednarek responded with a shove in Lyles' back.
Lyles turned around with his arms raised and a few words for Bednarek. Bednarek extended his hand, which Lyles begrudgingly accepted for a handshake before an extended exchange of words. Spectators at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, collectively gasped when they saw the slow-motion replay of Bednarek's shove.
Then came the post-race interview of both runners with NBC. The tension was still fresh, and the runners were hashing things out in the range of NBC's camera and microphone before the interview commenced.
"You're right,' Lyles said to Bednarek.
"I expected a call," Bednarek responded. "I'm telling you, if you've got a problem, I expected a call. That's all I'm saying.
"You know what? You're right," Lyles responded. "Let's talk after this."
Bednarek then addressed Lyles' late-race look when asked about it.
"I'm not gonna say it out here," Bednarek said. "But we've got something to do and talk about. That's all I've got to say."
The two have several weeks to work things out before they meet again on the track. With Sunday's result, Bednarek earned a spot in Tokyo for the World Championships. As the reigning world champion, Lyles' spot in Tokyo was already secure. They'll both be among the favorites to win the 200-meter final that's slated to be run on Sept. 19.
They'll also have a chance to meet in the 100-meter final in Tokyo. Bednarek secured gold in the U.S. 100-meter final on Friday. Lyles did not compete, but has a bye into that event as well thanks to his World Championship win in the event in 2023.
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