Thrilling Performances and World-Leading Times at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational
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Noah Lyles narrowly claimed victory in his first outdoor race of the season at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida. The event showcased top collegiate athletes and seasoned professionals in Olympic Development races.
Born in Gainesville, the 26-year-old World Champion from last year, Lyles, narrowly defeated Olympic 200m silver medalist Kenny Bednarek in the 100m with a time of 10.01 seconds. Both athletes recorded the same time, but Lyles was slightly faster by five-thousandths of a second. Kyree King followed closely at 10.02 seconds, and Abdul Hakim Sani Brown of Japan finished fourth with 10.04 seconds.
Men's 100m OD Heat 1 Results - Wind: 1.7 m/s
| POS | NAME | TIME |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Noah Lyles | 10.01 (10.005) |
| 2 | Kenneth Bednarek | 10.01 (10.010) |
| 3 | Kyree King | 10.02 |
| 4 | Hakim Sani Brown | 10.04 |
| 5 | Joseph Fahnbulleh | 10.07 |
| 6 | Ryiem Forde | 10.12 |
| 7 | Filippo Tortu | 10.15 |
| DNS | Emmanuel Matadi |
Jacious Sears, a promising young sprinter, dominated the collegiate 100m, setting a world-leading time of 10.77 seconds, shaving nearly two-tenths off her personal best. The University of Tennessee senior now ranks second all-time in NCAA history, just behind Sha'Carri Richardson's 2019 record of 10.75.
Tamari Davis, a World Championship relay gold medalist, topped the Olympic Development 100m race in 10.94 seconds, outpacing others by a significant margin.
In the 100m hurdles, Nia Ali secured a world-leading victory in 12.44 seconds, edging out Tonea Marshall and Christina Clemons. Ali also competed in the flat 100m, placing ninth. Meanwhile, veteran Lolo Jones posted her best time since 2015, finishing fourth in the B final of the hurdles at 13.11 seconds.
Grant Holloway easily won his Olympic Development final in the 110m hurdles, timing 13.21 seconds after a faster 13.10 in the heats. Christopher Morales Williams of Canada set a personal best outdoors in the 400m at 44.91 seconds, leading the field.
Bryce Deadmon and Matthew Boling excelled in the 400m heats, with Deadmon winning his in 45.20 seconds and Boling securing second overall with a time of 45.23.
Courtney Lindsey claimed the year's fastest 200m globally on Friday, clocking 19.88 seconds. On the women's side, Favour Ofili of Nigeria triumphed in the 200m Olympic Development race in 22.33 seconds.
Chris Robinson set a world-leading time in the 400m hurdles at 47.95 seconds, marking a new personal best. In the women's 4x100m, a U.S. team comprising Mikiah Brisco, Abby Steiner, Jenna Prandini, and Aleia Hobbs won in 41.94 seconds, closely followed by another U.S. team in 41.99 seconds.
An 'Empire Athletics' international team, anchored by Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo, won the women’s 4x400m in 3:23.83, outpacing a U.S. team by a narrow margin.
