Lyles vs. Bednarek Prediction on August 8, 2024

Match info

Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 8:30 p.m. local time (heats began on August 5) is when the men’s athletics 200-meter dash final will occur. Several of the fastest guys in the world are doubling back after the most competitive 100-meter final in recent memory. The experts’ debate has progressed from Noah Lyles winning the double crown to whether he can beat the world record of 19.19 or not and whether his American colleagues can accompany him on the podium or not. The stakes are high, but the odds on his win are short at any dollar betting site so, unfortunately, wagering on Lyles won’t bring you much profit.

It’s crucial to note that the 200-meter preliminary races took place on Monday evening, after the 100-meter semifinals and finals in Paris on Sunday night. Some sprinters who competed in the 100-meter race may have been too fatigued to give their best effort, and others may have been sidelined by persistent injuries that prevented them from reaching the starting line.

Meeting statistics

After narrowly defeating Kishane Thompson to win the gold in the 100 meters here in Paris, Noah Lyles confidently advances to the 200 meters. In one of the tightest finishes in the race’s history, the American prevailed and won the Olympic gold for Team USA. He now hopes to add another gold medal to his record at the 2024 Olympics. With a time of 19.31 seconds, Lyles is currently the clear favorite. At the 2023 World Athletics Championships, he won the 200 meters in 19.52 seconds, which was 0.23 seconds quicker than Erriyon Knighton, who took home the silver medal.

One of the most decorated sprinters still competing and a defending champion, Canadian Andre de Grasse, joins Lyles in his heat in the preliminary round. Despite having a fast time of 9.98 in the 100 meters, De Grasse was unable to advance to the final. Indeed, a few men who had sub-10 times missed the Olympic cutoff. Despite being thought to be past his prime, De Grasse, who turns 30 in a few months, proved in the 100m that he still has what it takes to qualify for the final. Is he going to win the 200-meter event for the third time in a row? The hardest test of his career will be this one.

But let’s get back to actual gold favorites. Only two competitors stand a genuine chance of defeating Lyles in Thursday’s 200-meter final. Kenneth Bednarek, a fellow American, is one of them and Letsile Tebogo of Botswana is the other.

Kenny Bednarek surprised everyone by qualifying for the US team in the 100 meters with a time of 19.59 this season. He advanced all the way to the Paris final, when his 9.88 time only secured him seventh place. Yet, his best distance is 200 meters. He’s a strong candidate for a gold medal because his short-sprint credentials have been amply demonstrated.

The biggest danger facing the Americans is Tebogo. His best time was 19.50, and he’ll undoubtedly be looking for revenge after finishing sixth in the 100-meter final with a 9.86 time. In the competition at the 2023 World Championships, Tebogo took home the bronze medal.

Match analytics

After winning the 100 meters on Sunday night, Lyles has now solidified his position as the clear favorite to win the 200 meters. He depends on his top-end speed because he isn’t known for having a very quick start or early race pace. With the 200, Lyles has more room to accelerate to his maximum speed and completely outperform the opposition.

The odds for Lyles’ win are set at -430 at Caesars.