Lyles maintains edge over Norman in first showdown since 2016 Olympic Trials; Samba makes it seven in a row in 400 hurdles, with Balew running world lead in wild 5,000

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It was a showdown more than two years in the making and it won’t be until 2019 when another potential matchup could materialize again.

But the highly anticipated 200-meter race involving rising American stars Noah Lyles and Michael Norman took center stage Thursday in Lausanne, Switzerland, at the annual Diamond League meeting, and it didn’t disappoint.

Norman held the lead past the halfway mark, before Lyles relied on a late surge to secure the victory in a wind-legal 19.69 seconds, equaling the mark he produced May 26 at the Prefontaine Classic that shares the world lead with South Africa’s Clarence Munyai. Norman was second in 19.88, just off his personal-best 19.84 on Saturday in Paris.

“(Another) 19.69 is great, but you can always improve. I feel I can do a lot better. I need to improve my technique on the bends and who knows. I don’t want to put a limit on myself,” Lyles told the IAAF. “(Wednesday) I said I want to be an icon and being consistent is the first step toward that. My life goals are big. I want to be as good, if not better, than Michael Johnson and Justin Gatlin.”

Gatlin won the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials final in 19.75 at Hayward Field, the last time Lyles and Norman shared the track in the 200. Lyles placed fourth in that race in a national high school record 20.09, with Norman fifth in 20.14.

Lyles went on to win gold in the 100 in 10.17 later that summer at the IAAF World U-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, with Norman capturing the 200 title in 20.17. They also teamed up to help the U.S. secure gold in the 4x100 relay in 38.93.

Lyles, an adidas professional, set in the indoor world record in the 300 last year by clocking 31.87 in New Mexico at the USATF Indoor Championships. Norman ran the 400 indoor world record March 10 with his 44.52 effort to capture the NCAA Division 1 title for USC.

Lyles remained unbeaten in three 200 races this year, in addition to his world-leading 9.88 in the 100. Norman decided after 21 outdoor races in less than four months, Thursday’s outing would be the final one this season for him and former USC teammate Rai Benjamin, who placed fourth in 20.16.

“I feel really good after this race. This season has been a very long season, so I am evidently fatigued,” Norman said. “With regard to the race itself, the first 60 meters was great, then I kept the pace until the 90th meter and toward the end of the race and the last 25 meters, I didn’t have much going for me.

“My objectives for the season have been obtained, as I have run sub-20 seconds in the 200 and sub-44 in the 400. Now, I’m going to relax and have some good Swiss ice cream.”

Benjamin, who raced for the 15th time in less than three months, missed another sub-20 effort following a personal-best 19.99 in Paris. The conclusion of his season meant that a potential 400 hurdles matchup with Abderrahman Samba of Qatar also wouldn’t occur until next year.

Samba won his seventh 400 hurdles race this season, clocking 47.42 to prevail again over Norway’s Karsten Warholm (47.94), the reigning world champion. Samba ran the No. 2 time in history Saturday in Paris with his 46.98 effort.

“I am happy with the race tonight. I went out stronger than usual in the first part of the race. So although it looked easy, the last 100 meters were tough as always. Your knees are going down and you have to fight on every step to maintain your speed,” Samba said. “I am happy with my fitness of the moment. I want to break the world record. It clearly is a goal for me in my career as an athlete. Now, whether it will happen this year or in the coming ones is hard to say and not really of major importance in the grand scheme of things.”

Bahrain’s Birhanu Balew won the 5,000 in a world-leading 13:01.09, but also benefited from a fall by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who was leading with 150 meters remaining. Kejelcha stumbled and attempted to break his fall by grabbing the shorts of fellow Ethiopian Selemon Barega, who managed to keep his balance and place second in 13:02.67.

Following a recent break from triple jump to focus on the 400, Christian Taylor secured his second victory in four days on the runway, needing a third-round leap of 57-9.75 (17.62m) to edge Portugal’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo and his second-round effort of 57-9.50 (17.61m).

Sergey Shubenkov, an authorized neutral athlete from Russia, produced his third sub-13 effort in the 110 hurdles this season by running a wind-legal 12.95, with U.S. national champion Devon Allen placing second in 13.29.

After fouling twice to open the competition, New Zealand’s Tomas Walsh prevailed in the shot put with a fifth-round mark of 71-11 (21.92m), with U.S. national champion Darrell Hill placing fourth at 69-0.50 (21.04m).

With world leader Mutaz Essa Barshim sidelined with an ankle injury, Danil Lysenko – another authorized neutral athlete from Russia – cleared a season-best 7-9.25 (2.37m) to win the high jump.