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Fred Kerley called out Noah Lyles to an unorthodox 150m 1v1 race taking a sly dig at the 100m Olympics champion time.
American sprinter and 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medalist Fred Kerley has issued a challenge to Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles for an unorthodox 150m race, igniting the possibility of a thrilling matchup between two of the world’s fastest men.
Kerley shared the idea on Ready Set Go, a YouTube show hosted by sprinting legend Justin Gatlin and co-host Rodney Greene, where he emphasized how one-on-one races could boost the popularity of the sport.
"I feel like 1v1 is actually good for the sport," Kerley explained.
"A lot of head busters talk big because they get lucky in one race, but if you had World Athletics actually organizing these 1v1s, you could look at the stats. I could show you how many times I beat you, and you could show how many times you beat me."
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05:29 - 25.10.2024
'Them races in Kenya don’t really count'- American sprinter Fred Kerley aims dig at Ferdinand Omanyala
The 100m Olympic bronze medalist questioned Omanyala's record breaking time as Africa's fastest man.
Kerley advocated for structured, financially supported one-on-one races, which, he believes, would add a new level of excitement and accountability in track and field.
"This stuff shouldn’t be stupid. It should be something reasonable and something that can grow the sport. It won’t hurt the sport. it would actually make it grow because a lot of people want these 1v1s," he added.
Confident in his record, Kerley declared he wouldn't need to call out anyone in the 100m, saying, "I got more wins than anybody in these 100m races."
However, when prompted by Greene to consider a 150m race, Kerley showed interest in racing the top sprinters at this unusual distance.
Greene pointed out that Lyles is one of the top three fastest men over 150m, holding a time of 14.41 seconds.
The Olympic bronze medalist quickly agreed to race Lyles, responding with an enthusiastic, "Of course."
Kerley couldn't resist a sly jab at his fellow American, saying, "They gave him that time, but anyways."
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20:00 - 24.10.2024
'You're the only man who can beat me'- When Usain Bolt revealed his toughest rival
Usain Bolt once revealed that a fellow Jamaican sprinter was the only man he believed could beat him, highlighting their mutual respect and how this rivalry motivated his legendary sprinting career.
The two sprinters shared an intense rivalry at the Paris Olympics, where Lyles clinched the gold in the 100m with a time of 9.79 seconds, narrowly beating Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who also clocked 9.79 seconds, while Kerley followed with a close 9.81 for the bronze.
With Kerley's callout, anticipation builds for a potential 150m showdown, a race that would test both sprinters' strengths in a way that neither the 100m nor 200m could.
Such a face-off would not only add excitement but could pave the way for more head-to-head matchups that redefine competitive sprinting.
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