Noah Lyles Shoved by U.S. Teammate Kenny Bednarek After Staring Him Down During 200-Meter Win

NEED TO KNOW

• Noah Lyles won the 200-meter men's U.S. Championship on Sunday, outlasting U.S. Olympic teammate Kenny Bednarek
• Bednarek took exception to Lyles' post-race stare down and pushed the three-time world champion in the back
• The two sprinters continued to argue after the race, setting up a much-anticipated rematch at the world championships in Japan come Sept. 19

Kenny Bednarek is pushing back on Noah Lyles’ trash talk — literally.

The 26-year-old U.S. sprinter wasn’t pleased after competitor and U.S. teammate Noah Lyles turned to stare him down after winning the 200-meter finals at the U.S. Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., on Sunday, August 2.

In response, Bednarek gave Lyles, 28, a two-handed shove in the center of his back before the two U.S. track stars continued to stare one another down after crossing the finish line. Bednarek quickly offered Lyles a handshake after the incident, but after a few moments the tensions boiled over again as Lyles gave a post-race interview with NBC with Bednarek hovering nearby.

The 2024 Summer Olympic gold medalist continued to jaw back-and-forth with Bednarek, who hovered nearby to continue their argument.

"I tell ya, if you've got a problem, I expect a call," Bednarek told Lyles, the 2024 Summer Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion.

“You know what? You’re right. You’re right. Let’s talk after this,” Lyles responded before continuing his interview with NBC’s Lewis Johnson. 

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Lyles told Johnson the competition was “tough” and said he was “not 100 percent,” as Bednarek continued to stare at him with his hands on his hips.

Johnson then asked Bednarek to explain what happened between him and Lyles at the end of the race. “I’m not going to say it out here, but we’ve got something to do and talk about,” Bednarek said.

Later, according to The Associated Press, Bednarek offered a further explanation when asked about the incident between him and Lyles. "The summary is, don't do that to me," Bednarek said. "I don't do any of that stuff. It's not good character right there. That's pretty much it. At the end of the day, he won the race. I've got to give him props. He was the better man today."

Bednarek was undefeated coming into Sunday’s competition. Both he, Lyles, and third-place finisher Robert Gregory will now go on to represent the U.S. at the World Championships in Tokyo on Sept. 19.

“What he said didn’t matter, it’s just what he did,” Bednarek said, according to the AP. “Unsportsmanlike [expletive] and I don’t deal with that. It’s a respect factor. He’s fresh. Last time we lined it up, I beat him, that’s all I can say. Next time we line up, I’m going to win. That’s all that matters.”

Read the original article on People