Lyles only previous Olympic medal was a 200m bronze from Tokyo, but he heads to Paris bolstered by his remarkable achievements at the World Championships in Budapest last year, where he won gold in the 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay.
Lyles was followed by Kenny Bednarek, primarily known for his prowess in the 200m, who finished with a personal best of 9.87 seconds. The 2022 world champion, Fred Kerley, took third place with a time of 9.88 seconds. Just missing out on the Olympic team, world indoor champion and 2019 world 100m gold medallist Christian Coleman finished fourth, clocking 9.93 seconds.
The day was also marked by an extraordinary performance from 16-year-old Quincy Wilson. In the 400m semi-finals, Wilson shattered his own under-18 world record, lowering it from 44.66 seconds to an impressive 44.59 seconds, demonstrating his prodigious talent and setting the stage for an exciting future in athletics.
In the women’s 400m, Kendall Ellis emerged victorious with a time of 49.46 seconds, followed closely by Aaliyah Butler (49.71) and Alexis Holmes (49.78), both of whom secured their places on the Olympic team.
The meet director since 2021, Robison predicts a spectacular display of athletic talent, particularly focusing on the highly anticipated showdown in the high school boys' 4x400m relay on the final day of the meet.
"The high-school boys 4x400m is going to be unbelievable!" exclaimed Robison. "Five teams have run 3:10 or faster, four of those are Jamaican, and then you've got Bullis High School with Quincy Wilson on the anchor; I'm telling you, that story is going to write itself."
Robison highlighted Wilson from Bullis High School, whose outstanding performance at the Florida Relays with a time of 45.19 seconds has created a buzz leading up to the Penn Relays. Wilson's impressive anchor leg last year, clocking a 45.06 split, is a testament to his exceptional talent and determination.
"He is one of those kids that has this fire," Robison remarked. "If he takes the baton as the anchor and he is in third or fourth, we're going to see something special as all four or five of those teams come through. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see three or four teams run 3:05. It's going to be crazy."
Reflecting on the historical dominance of Jamaican high schools in this event, Robison acknowledged the formidable challenge facing USA high schools. The last USA high school to win the 4x400m Championship of America was Long Beach Poly back in 2007. The last 16 years have seen Jamaican schools dominate the event, and that dominance could extend into a 17th year.
Despite this, Bullis High School, boasting a recent time of 3:11.87, is poised to challenge the Jamaican powerhouses. Robison expressed optimism about Wilson's potential impact on the relay's outcome, particularly against strong competitors from schools like Kingston College (3:07.65) and Jamaica College (3:08.79), known for their impressive 4x400m relay performances.
“If he gets a baton in his hand with people to chase, who knows what he can run…whether it’s JC or even Hydel that has run 3:10, with kids that have also run 45-point, so we’re going to see something special.
"We just pray for good weather and good health," Robison concluded.
