Noah Lyles blazes 9.95, Rai Benjamin wins 400m at Seiko Golden Grand Prix Tokyo
Olympic champions Noah Lyles and Rai Benjamin delivered standout performances at the Seiko Golden Grand Prix Tokyo on Sunday, May 17, at the National Stadium, the venue set to host the 2025 World Athletics Championships. Lyles opened his 100 metres season with a sub-10 performance, while Benjamin impressed in his first flat 400m race of the year. The meet also featured breakthrough performances from Britain’s Yemi Mary John, Jordan Anthony and several Japanese stars in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
Men’s 100 metres
Reigning Olympic 100 metres champion Noah Lyles won his heat in 10.05 into a headwind of -1.1 m/s on his seasonal debut over the distance before storming to victory in the final in 9.95 (+0.6 m/s) at the stadium where he won world gold medals in the 200 metres and 4x100 relay.
US 18-year-old Tate Taylor finished second in 10.04 ahead of British teenager Jake Odey-Jordan, who took third place in 10.09.
Noah Lyles: “I am happy with the race. It’s a great way to start the season. It wasn’t my fastest race, but it was definitely in my top five fastest season openers, so I would say it was very worth the journey and I am excited that I got to have it in a fun place like Tokyo.”
Men’s 200 metres
Jordan Anthony, world indoor champion over 60 metres in Torun last March, won the men’s 200 metres in 20.05 into a headwind of -1.3 m/s ahead of reigning world 4x100 relay champion Courtney Lindsey, who finished second in 20.28.
Men’s 400 metres
Reigning Olympic and world 400 metres hurdles champion Rai Benjamin won the men’s flat 400 metres in 44.69 ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga from Zambia, who clocked 44.83.
Rai Benjamin: “I think I could have done better execution wise, but it’s the first race, so I feel happy to come out with the win and get one in front of a good crowd.”
Women’s 400 metres
Yemi Mary John, world U20 champion in Cali 2022 and Olympic and world 4x400 relay bronze medallist, won the women’s 400 metres in a meeting record and personal best of 49.85, improving on her previous PB of 50.50. John had opened her season by helping Great Britain place third in the mixed 4x400 relay in 3:09.84 at the World Relays in Gaborone.
Bailey Lear, world indoor 4x400 relay champion in Torun 2026, finished second in 50.42.
Yemi Mary John: “It was always going to be a fast race because I know the Tokyo track is so incredible. The Olympic Games were here and I was fortunate to race here last year at the World Championships. I was hoping for a fast race and just great energy, great atmosphere.”
Women’s 3000 metres
Kenya’s Janet Jepkoech, who is based in Japan, broke away over the final kilometre to win the women’s 3000 metres in a personal best and meeting record of 8:39.24.
Men’s 3000 metres
Nagiya Mori won the men’s 3000 metres in 7:38.98 ahead of Ryko Igata (7:39.36) and Yu Shibata (7:39.51).
The Japanese trio all broke Suguru Osako’s previous national and meeting record of 7:40.09 set in 2014.
Men’s 110 metres hurdles
Tatsuki Abe won the men’s 110 metres hurdles in 13.26 into a headwind of -0.2 m/s, holding off USA’s Connor Schulman, who finished second in 13.33.
Women’s 100 metres hurdles
US indoor champion Aila Armstrong won the women’s 100 metres hurdles in 12.75 ahead of Japanese champion Yumi Tanaka, who clocked 12.81.
Men’s 400 metres hurdles
Turkey’s Ismail Nezir, world U20 champion, won the men’s 400 metres hurdles in 48.25 ahead of Japan’s Kaito Tsutsue, who finished second in 48.65.
Women’s javelin throw
Rhema Otabor, a two-time NACAC medallist, claimed victory in the women’s javelin throw with 61.57m in the fifth round.
Momone Ueda placed second with 61.40m ahead of 2023 world silver medallist Flor Denis Ruiz Hurtado, who threw 60.98m.
Reigning Olympic champion Haruka Kitaguchi finished fifth with 60.36m in her first competition since the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo last September.
Men’s javelin throw
Jakub Vadlejch, Olympic silver medallist in Tokyo 2021 and three-time world medallist, made a successful comeback by winning the men’s javelin throw with 85.24m ahead of Marc Anthony Minichello (81.74m) and Edis Matusevicius (80.80m).
Jakub Vadlejch: “It was a very nice opener. I achieved my furthest throw since the Olympics. I am very pleased with how Tokyo treated me today.”
Men’s long jump
Yuki Hashioka leapt 8.22m with a tailwind of +1.9 m/s to win the men’s long jump.
Christopher Mitrevski finished second with 8.09m ahead of Japan’s Riku Ito, who cleared 7.96m.
Men’s high jump
Sou Shibuya cleared a personal best of 2.24m on his first attempt to win the men’s high jump on countback over Chao Hsan Fu and Japan’s Hirozaku Sakai.
