Things got heated at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Oregon over the weekend after American sprint stars Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles faced off in the highly anticipated 200m final.
Lyles, 27, blazed across the finish line first with a lightning-fast time of 19.63 seconds, narrowly edging out his Team USA teammate, but as the pair crossed the finish line, cameras caught a scuffle.
In the clip below, Bednarek appeared to push Lyles, and the two exchanged words in a fiery moment that left fans concerned.
Noah Lyles vs. Kenny Bednarek didn’t disappoint in a tense 200m.
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2025
NBC & Peacock pic.twitter.com/NEADV4AcKF
“I tell you, if you’ve got a problem, I expect a call,” Bednarek, 25, said during a tense post-race interview.
“You know what, you’re right. You’re right. Let’s talk after this,” Lyles responded.
Later, Bednarek opened up about the incident, making it clear he was far from impressed with his rival’s behavior.
“Like I’ve said before, Noah’s going to be Noah. If he wants to stare me down, that’s fine,” he said. “The summary is, don’t do that to me. I don’t do any of that stuff. It’s not good character right there. That’s pretty much it. At the end of the day, he won the race. I’ve got to give him props. He was the better man today.”
“What he said doesn’t matter, just what he did. Unsportsmanlike sh*t and I don’t deal with that”
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) August 3, 2025
Kenny Bednarek on his finish with Noah Lylespic.twitter.com/MGlGXUKEBr
Bednarek continued, “What he said didn’t matter, it’s just what he did,” he continued. “Unsportsmanlike [expletive], and I don’t deal with that. It’s a respect factor. 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. That’s all that matters.”
Reporters pressed Bednarek about the details of the feud but he replied, “On coach’s orders, no comment.”
The duo will now go head-to-head again at the World Championships in Tokyo on September 19. Lyles heads into the competition as the reigning world champion in both the 200m and 100m events and the fastest American ever in the 200m, but it’s anyone’s game as Bednarek has bested Lyles at the last two Olympic Games, earning silver medals in the 200m both times.