BUDAPEST, Hungary — Olympic champion sprinter Noah Lyles shut down his season because of injury and will not compete for the $150,000 first prizes in this week’s track Ultimate Championships.
Lyles, who grabbed his left hamstring and pulled up in the final of the 200 meters at U.S. nationals in July, said on social media he discovered he had a “small strain” after that race that “caused some other things to flare up, and it’s made it hard for me to continue practicing.”
Lyles’ name was not on the entry list released Monday by World Athletics for the first-of-its-kind event, which begins Friday.
The 29-year-old, who won the 100 meters at the Paris Olympics and is a four-time world champion in the 200, was set to be among the biggest names at Ultimate Championships. The meet will bring together world and Olympic champions from the last two seasons, along with other top-ranked athletes, to compete for a $10 million prize pool.
Lyles said he will still be in Budapest, where he’ll have a role as an emcee and “creative adviser.”
“I still think there’s going to be an amazing competition and I’m excited to watch that,” he said.
Lyles ran 9.79 at nationals for the best time of the year at 100 meters. Next is Olympic champion Oblique Seville of Jamaica, who ran 9.82 at his country’s championships.
The 200 will now feature American Kenny Bednarek and Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, who won gold in Paris on a night Lyles finished third and revealed he had COVID-19.
The women’s sprints feature the return of Sha’Carri Richardson to the track where she won worlds in 2023. Her main competition figures to come from reigning world champ Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, who also is running in the 200 against Olympic champ Gabby Thomas.
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