When it comes to the king of the 100m and 200m, the first name that pops into your head has to be Noah Lyles, right? Sure, he didn’t grab gold in the 200m in Paris, but let’s not kid ourselves—he’s still that guy. Up until now, he’s been battling it out with the likes of Kishane Thompson and Letsile Tebogo, among others. But hold up! Looks like Lyles might have a new problem on his hands. We’re talking about someone who’s already shattered his high school records and could be coming for his crown by LA 2028. But who’s this new guy?
Alright, track fans, we need to talk about Tate Taylor. Yes! This high school junior from Harlan High in Texas just went nuclear at the Nike Indoor Nationals. Coming in with a season-best of 21.09, he decided that wasn’t fast enough and dropped a ridiculous 20.46 in the boys’ indoor 200m final. In doing so, he left the field way behind. Jayden Horton-Mims came in second at 21.04, followed by Andrew Wright at 21.34.
Impressive times, sure, but Taylor 20.46 was on a different level. That’s not just a win—that’s a national record! And he didn’t just break it—he wiped out an entire section of the all-time leaderboard. First, he erased Issam Asinga’s 20.48 from 2023. Then, he blew past Jaylen Slade’s 20.62 and even outran then-19-year-old Noah Lyles’ 20.63 from 2016. And he did it with style. But hold up—there’s more! Could this mean he’s on track to be Noah Lyles’ next big rival? Maybe. But Lyles isn’t staying quiet about it!
When Taylor Miller shared a post about his achievement, Noah Lyles didn’t stay silent. His response? A mix of praise and maybe a hint of sarcasm. He commented, “Records are made to be broken, and he took that to heart. This is a crazy impressive time and win! Congratulations.” But wait—was that just sportsmanship, or was Lyles feeling some type of way about his record being taken down?
HS JUNIOR TATE TAYLOR RUNS 20.46 INDOOR 200M HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL RECORD! pic.twitter.com/1QmkvP3URX
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) March 16, 2025
Right now, Noah Lyles’ 100m best sits at a scorching 9.79, while Taylor’s is 10.28—still a gap, but not bad for a rising star. Now, let’s talk 200m. Lyles’ 19.31 from 2022 is world-class, while Taylor’s 21.06 is impressive for a 17-year-old. And let’s not forget—Lyles is 27, a full decade older. If Taylor keeps improving at this rate, who knows what’s coming next? But wait—there’s another young star on the scene. Not only is he blazing fast, but he’s already taken down one of Lyles’ records. But who?
Not just Taylor, another 17-year-old is coming for Noah Lyles!
From the moment Gout Gout stepped on the track, you just knew he was going to turn heads. And on Sunday? He delivered. The 17-year-old sprint phenom torched the competition at the Queensland Athletics Championships, blazing to a wind-assisted 19.98s in the 200m final. That makes him the fastest Australian ever over 2200 in any conditions.
Oh, and let’s not forget—he had already dropped a 20.05-second run in the heats. Running for Tigers Athletic Club, he left Zaine Leigh (22.10) and Liam Atkinson (22.12) in his dust. Now, let’s talk records. That 20.05 in the heats? It wasn’t just quick—it was the fastest men’s 200m time in the world this year across ALL age groups, breaking Makanakaishe Charamba’s 20.13s from last month.
Gout’s 19.98s record from the final race cannot become an official record because the +3.6m/s tailwind blew too fast during his run. The point becomes more interesting considering Noah Lyles currently holds a personal best of 19.31s but he did not run faster than Gout’s time when he was only seventeen years old.
And Gout? He’s feeling it. Fresh off a two-week training stint with Noah Lyles in January, he couldn’t hide his excitement. But here’s the best part—he grew up watching Usain Bolt, and now he’s inspiring the next generation. “I’ve watched guys like Bolt and got goosebumps. Now, for me to give people goosebumps? That feels great.” And with the World Championships in Tokyo this September, could he be gearing up to take on Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo? The track world better keep an eye on this one!
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