American sprinter Noah Lyles made a bold statement with a dominant season debut in the 200 metres, overcoming Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo in a thrilling showdown at the Monaco Diamond League. Coming off an injury-plagued campaign that had cast doubts over his readiness for the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo, Lyles silenced the skeptics with a blistering run.
Tebogo got off to a strong start and matched Lyles stride for stride through the curve. As the two rounded into the home straight, it was a neck-and-neck contest, but Lyles shifted gears in the final 50 metres to pull ahead and stop the clock at 19.88 seconds. Tebogo followed closely behind in 19.97. After the race, Lyles reflected on the challenge, expressing confidence and enjoyment rather than pressure. With his status as defending world champion, he bypasses the need to qualify through the U.S. trials and now sets his sights on the London Diamond League 100m next week.
In the men’s 800m, Emmanuel Wanyonyi delivered a breathtaking performance, dominating a field packed with all eight Olympic finalists from Paris. With expectations high that the race could challenge David Rudisha’s long-standing world record of 1:40.91, Wanyonyi made his move on the back straight and never looked back. He created a gap that proved insurmountable, finishing in 1:41.44. Behind him was American Josh Hoey, who made a strong push but couldn’t close the distance. Wanyonyi later admitted that breaking the world record is now a realistic goal, and his focus remains on pushing harder in training to make it happen.
The night also belonged to Dutch star Femke Bol, who continued her extraordinary winning streak in the 400m hurdles. She extended her Diamond League unbeaten run to 28 races, posting a world-leading time and meeting record of 51.95 seconds. Veteran Dalilah Muhammad set an early tempo in what could be her final season, but Bol glided past in the final bend to take control and cruise to victory.
In the women’s 400m flat, Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino edged out 21-year-old American Aaliyah Butler in a tight finish. Butler had led into the home straight, but Paulino powered through in the final metres to claim the win. Butler took heart in her performance, calling it proof that her hard work is paying off.
Jamaica’s Megan Tapper claimed victory in the women’s 100m hurdles, continuing her fine form. Masai Russell, who broke the American record in May, struggled once again and settled for fourth, just as she did in Eugene.
Pole vault star Mondo Duplantis was the only athlete to clear six metres on the night, reaching 6.05m to set a new meeting record. He made three attempts at 6.29m to surpass his own world record, but all were unsuccessful. Still, his dominance in the event remained clear.
The night concluded with a strong showing from St Lucian sprinter Julien Alfred, who rebounded from her previous loss in Eugene to win the women’s 100m in 10.79 seconds. Her performance closed an evening filled with world-class action and reminders of the elite talent preparing to peak ahead of the Tokyo Games.
