Noah Lyles threw a party on the track and crashed it at the same time. He came flying past Kenny Bednarek in the final stretch of the 200 meters at the U.S. Championships, stole the win in 19.63 seconds, and made sure his rival knew exactly who did it. With a glance and a few words, Lyles lit the match. Bednarek answered not with a handshake, but with a full-blown shove and a storm of tension that rippled across Hayward Field.

It wasn’t just a race, but something turned into a street corner showdown. Bednarek, a heartbeat behind at 19.67 seconds, bristled at Lyles’ swagger, especially that lingering look across lanes. What followed was a spicy mix of shoves, stares, and words heavy with fire. Lyles demanded an apology. Bednarek wanted a rematch. Let’s just say, the speed gods have heard their prayers– KungFu Kenny’s to be precise.

On Tuesday, Track & Field Gazette released the complete lineup for the Men’s 100m entries for the Lausanne Diamond League, waiting to unfold on August 20. This is what it looks like: Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, Kenny Bednarek, Oblique Seville, Courtney Lindsey, Lamont Marcell Jacobs, and the Swiss sprinter Timothé Mumenthaler.

But hey! Where is the veteran 31-year-old South African superstar, Akani Simbine? The 9-time 100m gold medalist in the Diamond League doesn’t seem to be anywhere on the lineup. That’s surprising; shocking, to say the least. Therefore, the fans suddenly seem to have shifted their attention from the Lyles vs Bednarek brawl to Simbine’s absence. And let’s not ignore the fact that the cheering is louder for Kishane Thompson than for Noah Lyles or Kenny!

Akani Simbine’s absence steals the spotlight from the Noah Lyles vs Kenny Bednarek rematch.

“Noah is finishing 5th in this race,” one of the fans shared their thought on X. Well, Noah Lyles walks into the 100 meters like he owns the moment, gold medals dangling as proof. He ruled the Paris Olympics in 9.79 and conquered the 2023 Worlds in 9.83. While Usain Bolt’s 9.58 still laughs in the record books, Lyles keeps the pressure real. Sure, his starts spark debate, but when he moves, the clock listens.

Meanwhile, someone asked, “Where’s Akani?” Exactly! Where is Simbine? Nine wins, zero noise. That’s the Akani Simbine story fans can’t stop fuming about. While the rest of the Lausanne 100-meter lineup combined for just three Diamond League golds—one each from Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, and Oblique Seville—the South African trailblazer is nowhere in sight. Silence never felt this loud.

Another one chimed in: “Where is Simbine? It should be a firecracker.” Akani Simbine has scorched through 2025 with three Diamond League wins, untouched in Xiamen, Shanghai, and Rabat. He’s clocked sub‑10s like morning jogs and outpaced Olympic medalists without flinching. Yet Lausanne’s start list reads like a mystery novel with the lead character missing. No injury. No exit note. So, yes, where is Simbine? It should be a firecracker.

Now, one of the fans had to ask Grok’s help. They commented: “@grok, how is there no Akani simbine?” And Grok said, “The current Lausanne DL men’s 100m entries don’t include Akani Simbine, despite his leading the 2025 standings with 28 points from wins in Rabat and elsewhere. He may be skipping to focus on recovery or the Zurich final.” Yeah, it’s pretty suspicious, but then the Noah Lyles vs Kenny Bednarek faceoff could be a good diversion!

At the same time, someone said, “Good Lineup. Noah hasn’t run much 100m this season. He may not come top 3 in this race.” Noah Lyles has tiptoed through the 100 meters in 2025 like it’s a side quest. A 10.00 finish in London, then a quiet 10.05 in his US heat before vanishing from the semis to chase 200-meter gold. The buildup has flair, sure. But with this lineup breathing fire, even Lyles might blink before the podium does.

This race feels like a thriller missing its lead detective. Akani Simbine’s silence echoes louder than the starter pistol, while Lyles and Bednarek gear up for round two under a blazing spotlight. The stage is set, the lineup is wild, and the plot twist? Simbine may have just stolen the show without even showing up.