Track Star Kenny Bednarek Says He Shoved Fellow Sprinter Noah Lyles At End Of Race For ‘Unsportsmanlike’ Taunt

Track Star Kenny Bednarek Says He Shoved Fellow Sprinter Noah Lyles At End Of Race For ‘Unsportsmanlike’ Taunt

The ongoing rivalry between famed runners Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles nearly turned physical over the weekend.

On Sunday (Aug. 3), the two athletes participated in the 200m final at the USA Track and Field Championships. While it initially looked like Kenny was going to come out on top, Noah was the one who crossed the finish line first, in just 19.63 seconds. As he sprinted ahead of Kenny, Noah looked back at him and appeared to say something. Kenny then proceeded to shove Noah.

Immediately after, Kenny tried to smooth things over by offering his hand for a shake. While Noah accepted the handshake, he made it clear that he didn’t like being pushed, saying, “I expect my apology.” It’s reported that they agreed to talk more away from the cameras.

 

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In a post-run interview, Noah shared his side of things and said:

“Noah is going to be Noah.”

He added:

“What he said didn’t matter, it’s just what he did. Unsportsmanlike sh*t and I don’t deal with that. It’s a respect factor. At the end of the day, he’s fresh. Last time we lined it up, I beat him, that’s all I can say. Next time we line up, I’m going to win.”

Yikes…do you think they were able to smooth things over during their private chat?