Who was just 15m shy of Winning the Week (16 August 2020)

I do like Fandango’s Who Won the Week post, and like to join in with some quirky stories from my own newsfeeds. The idea is that we pick a “thing” (person, organisation, anything) who “won” the week. So here goes…

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Aw, man, I tried so hard to find a winner this week, but can we settle for almost?

I’m talking about the reigning World 200 metres champion, US sprinter, Noah Lyles.

Thursday evening, Lyles stunned the crowd at the Inspiration Games, being contested in Zurich. You see, Lyles’ posted time of of 18.90s smashed the 2009, 19.19s world record time of the great Usain Bolt. That cannot be right, can it?, commentated an incredulous Steve Cram, the former UK Olympic medallist.

Indeed it could not. Given that Lyles’ previous PB was 19.50s, the result was immediately challenged, and unfortunately, the race organisers cost Lyles his record. Not only did they cock-up by placing him in the wrong lane at the start of the race (apparently this is an offence!), but because the track was marked incorrectly, the race was run over just 185m.

Still a decent time, though. This guy could almost keep up with me!