Noah Lyles wins the 200m at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Monaco (© Philippe Fitte)
Noah Lyles, this season's fastest man in the world over both 100m and 200m, will headline the 100m field at the Müller Grand Prix Birmingham IAAF Diamond League fixture on 18 August.
The USA's national champion has proved himself to be one of the world’s best sprinters in only his second season as a professional athlete, with the 21-year-old’s national championship winning time of 9.88 seconds the equal fastest in the world this year. The race will mark the first UK appearance for Lyles, the reigning Diamond League 200m champion.
“I’m really excited to come over to the UK and race – it’s something that I feel like I’ve missed out on so far so to have the opportunity to come and experience the atmosphere in Birmingham is really cool. It is a meet that I’m now gearing my training towards and I’m looking to perform really well there.
“So far, I’m feeling really good and my training times are reflecting that I’m close to my personal best, so I’m hopeful that come Birmingham I can run the heat well and then deliver in that final.”
Organisers have confirmed five other sprinters for the 100m showdown, including Christian Coleman of the USA, Commonwealth and freshly minted African champion Akani Simbine of South Africa and double Olympic relay champion Yohan Blake of Jamaica.
Coleman, the world indoor 60m world record holder, won the world indoor 60m title in Birmingham in March.
Also confirmed are 9.93 man and NCAA champion Cameron Burrell of the USA and Jamaican Tyquendo Tracey, the Athletics World Cup winner last month in 10.03, a personal best. He further improved a week later, clocking 9.96 at the Müller Anniversary Games in London.
On the field assembled so far for the 100m, Lyles added:
“Having the top tier guys race off against each other is what makes exciting races, it’s what people want to see. I’m glad everyone is coming to Birmingham looking to post fast times against the best.”
“There are maybe a couple of guys that I haven’t raced against, but I’ve had the pleasure of watching them race and truthfully going in, it makes me feel confident that we have all these athletes who are becoming big names and starting to run fast times, face off against each other. Birmingham should be in for a real treat.”
Organisers for the IAAF
