Noah Lyles (left) is shoved by Kenny Bednarek (right). Credit : Patrick Smith/Getty

The men’s 200m final at the USATF Tokyo World Championship Trials, held a week ago at Hayward Field, was expected to be decided by times, but instead ended with tensions high and a rivalry visibly reignited.

Noah Lyles stormed down the home straight to record a world-leading 19.63 seconds, edging Kenny Bednarek by four hundredths. 

Moments after crossing the line, Lyles turned toward his rival, locked eyes, and appeared to shove him with both hands. The incident drew gasps from the crowd and quickly sparked debate among fans and analysts.

Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek are involved in a feud following their 200m race at the 2025 USATF World Championship trials.

Bednarek, visibly displeased, responded with a brief handshake before telling Lyles, “Never do that to me again.” Their exchange has since dominated athletics discussions online, with many predicting a fierce rematch when the pair meet again at the World Championships in September.

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Former Olympic 100m champion Donovan Bailey said his initial reaction was that the contact may have been accidental.

“I actually thought Noah stayed in his lane,” Bailey said on his YouTube channel. “From my angle, it looked like he was on the outside of Kenny coming into the curve. 

Jamaicans have waded into the beef between Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles, picking who they want to beat the other at the 2025 World Championships.

“Honestly, I didn’t think much of it at the time. Obviously, it’s huge news now, but I just thought Noah was doing what Noah does.”

Bailey welcomed the psychological gamesmanship but cautioned against crossing certain lines. 

“There’s always chirping in this sport, and I love it — as long as you don’t touch anyone. You can say whatever you want, do whatever antics motivate you, and if that helps you win championships, go for it.”

Bailey said Bednarek appeared to start the race with intent, but Lyles’ composure ultimately proved decisive.

The Harambee Stars shotstopper has had to overcome alot of challenges to become the commanding presence he is in goal nowadays.

“Kenny’s a 9.7 guy now, so when I saw him leading off the curve, I thought, ‘This is going to be interesting.’ Both of them can run top-class 200m and 400m races, but Noah stayed tall, stayed relaxed, and just breathed. Kenny tightened up — and that was it.”

Bailey warned Bednarek not to allow the moment to linger.