With each passing tournament, Noah Lyles continues to chase Usain Bolt’s records. In fact, his 200m world championship gold medal in Budapest means that Lyles is the only athlete apart from Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix, who has successfully won three consecutive 200m world titles. Lyles is also the only second athlete to win the 100m and 200m in the same world championship tournament since Usain Bolt in 2015.

However, with Bolt long retired, Lyles seems to be in a race of his own. But that can change quickly as the recent Xiamen Diamond League 100m event showcased the potential of another track runner who can emerge as the next Jamaican rival to Noah Lyles.

Noah Lyles can soon get another Jamaican rival

After a dominant display that saw him bagging a hat trick of world championship gold medals, Noah Lyles headed to Zurich for the Diamond League. He only participated in the 200m event, which he won once again, despite facing some challenge toward the end from Erriyon Knighton.

While Lyles clocked 19.80 seconds, his Team U.S.A. teammate Knighton finished second with 19.87 seconds. Although Lyles prefers the 200m more, he also clocked the fastest time of the year in the 100m discipline when he ran 9.83 seconds to win his first gold in Budapest. But while Lyles won the 200m once again in Zurich, the 100m event was being played out in Xiamen.

The inaugural Xiamen Diamond League showed a glimpse of a talented track runner who has the potential to become the next Jamaican rival for Noah Lyles. Kishane Thompson delivered his best 100m performance in Xiamen as he secured second place with a personal best of 9.85 seconds. He not only shattered his previous best of 9.91 seconds but also shattered this year’s fastest 100m Jamaican time that was earlier set by Oblique Seville when he ran 9.86 seconds.

Thompson’s new time also means that he is now the sixth fastest Jamaican of all time and all signs prove that he can become a regular competitor against Noah Lyles in the 100m event. However, Noah Lyles also has another runner to think about and this one happens to be his own countryman.

Christian Coleman equals world lead time

While Kishane Thompson finished second, the top spot was secured by U.S.A.’s Christian Coleman, who ran 9.83 seconds. Just a few days ago in Budapest, Coleman finished fifth.. But now, the U.S. track runner has equaled this year’s fastest 100m time and shares this achievement with 100m world champion Noah Lyles.

The 2022 100m world champion Fred Kerley finished third in Xiamen with 9.96. Christian Coleman and Kishane Thomson’s performances reflect that they can challenge Noah Lyles in the future for the 100m crown.

Read more: “Controversy Sells”: Noah Lyles under ‘Clout Shade’ after Dropping the Perfect NBA Publicity Stunt

The latest results in the 100m division could mean that the track and field world can witness an exciting 100m even if Noah Lyles agrees to take on Coleman and Thomson in the Diamond League finals that are scheduled for Eugene later this month.

If not in Eugene, track fans will surely get the chance to witness these three talented track stars go head to head in the 100m discipline in Paris next year.

Watch this story: Witness the Genesis of the Legend of Noah Lyles: The Finish You Know, the Start You Don’t