Lyles wins US 100m championship with world-leading 9.79 seconds

Noah Lyles ran 9.79 seconds to win the 100m at the US athletics championships at Icahn Stadium in New York City, according to BBC Sport. The time is the fastest recorded in the world for the 2026 season.

Lyles, the defending Olympic 100m champion from the 2024 Paris Games, equalled his personal best with the performance. The previous fastest time in 2026 was 9.82 seconds, set by Jamaica's Oblique Seville in June, per BBC Sport.

Ronnie Baker finished second with 9.88 seconds and Kenny Bednarek third, also clocking 9.88 seconds. Christian Coleman placed fourth with 9.93 seconds.

Lyles, 29, addressed his approach to what he called an off year without the Olympics or World Championships scheduled. "Just because it is an off year doesn't mean that I plan to run slow. This is me being me and being me is dominant, being consistent," Lyles said, according to BBC Sport. He also stated, "I think I made that 'I'm still the world's fastest man' statement."

In the women's 100m, Sha'Carri Richardson won with 10.77 seconds, matching her best time of the season, per BBC Sport. The 26-year-old, who won silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics and holds the 2023 world championship title, finished ahead of Kayla White (10.90 seconds) and Tamari Davis (11.00 seconds).

Richardson attributed her performance to her condition heading into the race. "It just feels phenomenal to be back in a better place, just healthy mentally, physically and emotionally. Everything me and coach have been working on, it's starting to show consistently," she said, according to BBC Sport.