Blink and you’ll miss it. Alexandria’s Noah Lyles broke the American record in the 200 meter race at the track and field World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Thursday (July 21).
Lyles clocked in at 19.31 seconds, breaking Michael Johnson’s 200 meter record of 19.32 seconds, which was set at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
“This year, all me and my coach was talking about was we’re going after that record,” Lyles told reporters after the race.
The 25-year-old Lyles also won the race in the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
Lyles, the winner of the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics, is a 2016 graduate of T.C. Williams High School (now Alexandria City High School).
Congrats to Alexandrian @LylesNoah the new holder of the American record and a World Champion!https://t.co/cn7caOAPjF
— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) July 22, 2022
Ladies and gentlemen, with you, the King of the 200 meters at the Oregon 2022 World Championships in Athletics…
👑 NOAH LYLES 👑
CONGRATS @LylesNoah
SEE YOU IN @santiago2023 @usatf @WorldAthletics pic.twitter.com/edjJ1aEA2X
— Panam Sports (@PanamSports) July 22, 2022
Noah Lyles making Alexandria & America proud. A new American record and World Championship! @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/YfCaJOiHGd
— Julie Carey (@JulieCareyNBC) July 22, 2022
BACK-TO-BACK 🥇 AND A NEW AMERICAN RECORD IN THE 200M FOR NOAH LYLES 🤩
19.31 breaks Michael Johnson's 19.32 record by .01 seconds!@LylesNoah | @TeamUSA
(via @NBCOlympics)pic.twitter.com/aonYFnQ8VL
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 22, 2022
✅Defended my Title
✅200m sweep
✅AMERICAN RECORD
✅made it through the storm pic.twitter.com/M48vYiY6e4— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah) July 22, 2022
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If you had a chance to enhance a child’s future with a time commitment of less than 2 hours a week, how would you respond? You have that opportunity right now to join over 200 Alexandrians as a reading tutor volunteer with the Alexandria Tutoring Consortium (ATC).
ATC tutors work with one child in kindergarten, first, or second grade in Alexandria public schools who need extra help with reading. Tutors meet with their Book Buddy 1-2 times each week for 30 minutes October-May at school, during school hours. Many struggling readers only receive one-on-one instruction through this program, and it makes all the difference. Last year, ATC served 195 children, of whom 82% ended the year reading on grade level and 96% made substantial reading gains. But the need is great, and we are still seeing learning lags from the pandemic.
This year, ATC plans to significantly increase the size of the program to reach over 250 students and to serve every elementary school in Alexandria. This is very exciting news, but we will only succeed if we can recruit more tutors. ATC trains you, matches you with a child, and provides ongoing lesson materials and support.

If you have been thinking about buying your first home or haven’t owned one in the last three years, THIS IS FOR YOU!
In the DMV area, it can be difficult to save the downpayment necessary for you to get into your own home. We have a solution. The Funder’s Summit!
We have assembled a summit with different municipalities to tell you how to access their funds for your home purchase.
2023 Alexandria Fall Festival
Food trucks, bounce houses, pony rides, magic shows and more at the 2023 Alexandria Fall Festival, an Alexandria Living event presented by The Patterson Group. Join us at River Farm on Sunday, Nov. 5 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.