I'm just having fun: Noah Lyles storms to third US 100m title with season-leading 9.77

Olympic champion Noah Lyles reaffirmed his status as the world's premier sprinter, blazing to a season-leading 9.77 seconds to win the men's 100m title at the 2026 USA Track and Field Championships. This victory secured his third national crown in the event.

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Yes sir!

Lyles overcame a sluggish start at Icahn Stadium before surging past the field in the closing stages. He celebrated his win, shouting, "Yes sir!" Ronnie Baker finished second in 9.88 seconds, followed by Kenny Bednarek and Christian Coleman, who clocked 9.88 and 9.93 respectively.

The winning time of 9.77 seconds eclipsed Jamaican Oblique Seville's 9.82, setting a new fastest 100m time of the year. Lyles expressed confidence in his performance, stating, "I knew that 9.7 was coming." He believes this strong showing sends a clear message to his rivals as the build-up to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games intensifies.

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I knew that 9.7 was coming.

Despite not having a clean start, Lyles considered it one of the finest races of his career due to his composure and ability to reel in the leaders. He credited his coach's advice and Coleman's fast start for helping him stay focused. Lyles plans to compete in the men's 200m on Sunday, aiming for a record sixth U.S. title in that event.

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I think I made an 'I'm still the world's fastest man' statement. I think that I was playing around, so I think that everybody's going to tighten up, because if they're playing around, then shoot, I must be winning tag.

"Shoot, I'm just having fun. Just because it's an off-year doesn't mean that I plan to run slow. I'm not showing up to run slower. This is me being me. Being me is dominant. Being me is consistent," Lyles said. His world-leading performance positions him as the benchmark in global sprinting.

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Technically, I think it was the best race I've had so far.