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Olympic sprinters Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek had some extracurricular activity during, and after, a tense 200-meter run on Sunday.
The pair of two-time Olympians battled it out in an unforgettable race, in which Lyles again won the United States championship in Eugene, Oregon.
Lyles, the reigning 100-meter gold medalist and three-time 200-meter world champ, came back from behind to defeat Bednarek and the rest of the field, crossing the finish line in 19.63 seconds, four-hundredths of a second faster than Bednarek.
However, before they crossed the line, Lyles turned toward Bednarek and stared him down as they finished the race, which prompted a shove by Bednarek. Lyles stopped and turned around, before Bednarek apparently realized his mistake and extended his hand for a handshake.
Lyles obliged.
Perhaps Lyles felt a need to celebrate considering what happened in Paris last summer – days after Lyles won gold in the 100-meter, he was aiming to become the first American runner since Carl Lewis in 1988 to win the double in the Olympics. The 200-meter has always been Lyles’ specialty.
However, he settled for bronze as he revealed he battled COVID-19 – Bednarek won silver.
Despite their handshake, there still appeared to be some bad blood between the two during a joint interview with NBC.
“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.”
It didn’t stop there – Bednarek made more comments after both runners left the track.
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“What he said didn’t matter, it’s just what he did,” Bednarek said. “Unsportsmanlike (expletive) 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.”
Bednarek referenced some long-simmering issues between the two.
“Just some personal stuff we’ve got to handle,” he said.
This isn’t the first time Lyles has had a beef with a fellow USA runner. He and Fredd Kerley have also exchanged verbal pleasantries over the last year-plus.
Lyles, of course, has had an apparent rivalry with Tyreek Hill, as well.
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