Noah Lyles’ dream for this year is clear, “I’m going to break it. I’m planning to break it.” It is about the world record. He aims to surpass the legendary Usain Bolt’s world records of 9.58 seconds in the 100m and 19.19 seconds in the 200m which is unbroken till now. But will Lyles be able to achieve this feat? With less than 50 days remaining until the Paris Olympics, American Olympic hopefuls Noah Lyles and Christian Coleman have faced defeats but in terms of world lead from Kenyan athletes before the Olympics.

Ferdinand Omanyala blazed to a 9.79-second finish, securing a world lead at the Kenyan Olympic Trials in Nyayo. This stunning performance clinched victory for Omanyala and marked the fastest time recorded globally since 2022. Despite the formidable competition, fellow Kenyan sprinter Mark Otieno Odhiambo managed a second-place finish with a time of 10.12 seconds, highlighting Kenya’s growing presence in sprinting.

The question of whether anyone can break the 100m world record remains a hot topic. In 2023, Noah Lyles became the fastest man at the World Championships, running the 100m in 9.83 seconds. However, earlier in the year at the Racers Grand Prix, Lyles was defeated by Oblique Seville, who ran 9.82 seconds. Seville is trained by Glen Mills, the same coach who trained Usain Bolt. In that race, Lyles finished with a time of 9.86 seconds.

Noah Lyles isn’t the only sprinter with high ambitions. Christian Coleman, who has a personal best of 9.76 seconds in the 100m, expressed his belief that breaking Usain Bolt’s world record of 9.58 seconds is possible. In April, he said, “9.58 is obviously an extraordinary time, but honestly, I feel like there are a lot of guys competing today who are not that far off if the track gods see fit for it to happen.”

With strong performances from both Lyles and Coleman, along with a Kenyan sprinter leading the world times for the season, the competition is fierce. Will Lyles or Coleman manage to break the record? Let’s discuss their progress and potential based on their performances this year.

Noah Lyles vs. Christian Coleman vs. Ferdinand Omanyala

In 2024 Lyles started the season by clinching the 60m title at the USA Indoor Championships in record time of 6.43 seconds narrowly surpassing Christian Coleman, who clocked in at 6.51 seconds. Although Coleman outpaced Lyles at the 2024 World Athletics Championships 60m finals with times of 6.41s and 6.44s . Then, Lyles showcased his speed in the 100m event at the Tom Jones Memorial taking place with a time of 10.005 seconds. He continued his winning streak at the Bermuda Grand Prix finishing in a time of 9.96 seconds.