National High School Records Through the Years

Robert Rosenberg photo

Boys Outdoor Record – 200 meters

Noah Lyles (T.C. Williams High School, Alexandria, Virginia)

Performance – 20.09 seconds

Date – July 9, 2016

Place –Eugene, Oregon

Meet – U.S. Olympic Trials

Previous Record – 20.13 by Roy Martin (Roosevelt, Dallas, Texas) on two occasions in 1985 

In 2015 two precocious sprinters arrived on the scene, one from each coast, and in short order they were being called the best American sprinters in a generation. When they finally raced head to head, who would prevail? West Coast observers said it would be Michael Norman (Vista Murrieta HS, Murrieta, Calif.); in the East it was Noah Lyles, one of two brothers running brilliantly for T.C. Williams (since renamed Alexandria City HS) in Northern Virginia. They met in the 2015 U20  meet. Lyles won the 100 (10.14) and also took the measure of Norman in the deuce, 20.18 to 20.24, not far from Roy Martin’s three-decade-old national record of 20.13. The 2016 Olympics were not far away; did they have a shot at the team, and who was better? In April ’16 Lyles flew all the way to Norman’s home turf to run Arcadia, but Norman was out of action; Lyles won the 200 in 20.48. A month later he improved back home in Virginia to 20.33, and on May 27, with both now back to 100 percent, what could be more fitting -- they ran matching races of 20.23. In June both ran U20s but different events -- Lyles took the 100 (10.08w), Norman the 200, in 20.15, two tantalizing hundredths from the record and faster than Lyles had ever run. The Olympic selection meet was next, nine years ago this week. In Round 1 both won wind-aided heats and with their fastest times ever, Lyles 20.04w, Norman 20.06w. In the semis both again won their races, Norman 20.21, Lyles 20.26. Who would prevail in the final, and would they make the team as preps? Alas, both just missed, and it was close between them – Lyles was fourth and got the record (20.09), which stands to this day, with Norman fifth one foot back in 20.14. Eight years later, Lyles was Olympic champion in Paris, in the 100 meters. Norman has won a gold medal in the 4x400. Neither has won the 200.      

National High School Records Through the Years appears once a week, compiled and written by a track historian, Jack Pfeifer (Lake Oswego, Oregon). Inquiries may be directed to him by email (jack.pfeifer@gmail.com).