American sprinter Noah Lyles ties Usain Bolt's record with 34th sub-20 time in 200m

Lyles is already in elite company with the 2024 Olympics approaching

American sprinter Noah Lyles has joined some elite company after breaking 20 seconds in the 200m at the New York City Grand Prix on Sunday, per NBC Sports. Lyles won the race with a time of 19.83 seconds, which ties Usain Bolt's record of 34 sub-20 times in wind-legal 200m races.

Lyles beat the rest of the field by 0.42 seconds, but that wasn't even the best time he has posted in the 200m in his career. He did that at the 2022 World Championship, where he turned in a time of 19.31 seconds. That broke the American record and is third all-time behind Bolt (19.19) and Yohan Blake (19.26).

After the race on Sunday, Lyles said he enjoyed getting the win, but he knows there is still work to do. 

"It's not perfect, but it was very fun," Lyles told NBC.

Lyles should get the chance to break Bolt's record at some point this year. He could enter a Diamond League meet or he could do it at the world championships in Budapest this August.

With the 2024 Olympics approaching, Lyles will look to build upon the bronze medal he won at the Tokyo games in 2021. In the 200m final, Lyles posted a time of 19.74 seconds, and he's already shown he is capable of beating that.