What a Day for High School Sprint Stars: Michael Norman Wins World Juniors 200m and Lyles Brothers Turn Pro
by LetsRun.com
July 22, 2016
It was a huge day for high school sprint stars Michael Norman and Noah Lyles, who finished 5th and 4th at the US Olympic Trials 200m respectively, and also for Noah’s younger brother Josephus.
First Norman, running at the IAAF World Under 20 Championships, ran 20.15 to win the global title and set a championship record. Norman’s mark was .01 off his pr and .06 behind Lyles’ high school record.
The announcers were certainly impressed with one saying, “Michael Norman certainly is one of the, if not the outstanding athlete at these championships…. It’s Bolt-like.”
Video of the Norman race below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr9CokUHe5E#t=307s
Lyles Brothers Turn Pro
Then later today Noah and Josephus Lyles announced simultaneously at 4:50 pm on Twitter that they were turning professional.
Noah Lyles- PRO ATHLETE
— Noah Lyles (@LylesNoah) July 22, 2016
https://twitter.com/quarter_horse22/status/756607408621912068
While Noah Lyles has rightfully gotten all the attention this year, nearly making the Olympic team at 200m, his younger brother Josephus (they are one year apart in age, but both are recent high school graduates) has the better range. Josephus ran 20.74 and 45.46 last year as junior and this year won the New Balance Nationals at 60m in 6.65. Josephus was injured during the outdoor season, so that set the stage for Noah to get all the attention outdoors which he capped at the Trials and followed up with his world junior 100m title two days ago.
Both Lyles brothers were going to go to the University of Florida next year. At the Trials, Noah talked about his love of design and whether he might turn pro:
US pro Walter Dix urged all the high school stars to get their degrees even if they turn pro. No details were released by the Lyles’ brothers about what their plans are.
Now attention will turn to Michael Norman and whether he’ll turn pro. At the Trials he told us he was definitely running in college for USC unless “the offer is too good to turn down, I might go pro.” Video of that below.
In other action at World Juniors today, Anna Cockrell of the US dominated the 400m hurdles and Qatar’s Abdalelah Haroun dominated the 400m (IAAF recap here). Alexa Efraimson and Christina Aragon were automatic qualifiers for the 1500m final.
Discuss: Lyles Brothers Go Pro