6 Track-and-Field Rivalries to Watch at the Paris Olympics

Noah Lyles is involved in one of them.

A good track-and-field rivalry feels like a championship boxing match—without the violence—replete with jabbering between the combatants, showmanship at the start line, and head-to-head fights to the finish. (A popular new Netflix documentary, Sprint, examines this dynamic in-depth.) Many rivalries are quieter: athletes display outward respect and admiration for each other and do most of their talking on the track (or field). Others are not so subtle. As the second week of the Paris Games approaches – the first full day of the Olympic track-and-field competition takes place on August 2 at the Stade de France – all eyes turn toward the runners, throwers, and jumpers. Here are six of the sport’s best rivalries to watch. 

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USA vs. USA: Men’s Sprinting

American Noah Lyles, the defending world champion in the 100 m and 200 m, hasn’t exactly endeared himself to his fellow countrymen over the years. At the start of last year’s world championships in Budapest, Fred Kerley—the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and 2022 world-title winner in the 100—declared in a press conference: “I’m Fred Kerley, this is my title. If Noah’s going to run 9.65, then I’m running faster.” Sitting on the same dais, Lyles chirped: “That’s what they all say till they get beat.” And beat Kerley Lyles did in Hungary.

And after Lyles chased down American phenom Erriyon Knighton, then 18, at the 200-m U.S. nationals in 2022, Lyles pointed a finger at Knighton as they passed the finish. “That’s called being posterized right there,” NBC commentator Ato Boldon said. NBC interviewed both athletes side-by-side after the race: Knighton left the chat early, as Lyles was boasting about the victory. Knighton later refused to answer questions about the exchange. 

In an interview with TIME this April, Knighton sounded like he’d rather talk about his preferred color of paint chip than Lyles. When asked what makes Lyles so difficult to race against, Knighton was terse. “I don’t know, I’m not really his coach,” he said. “I don’t study him.” 

Lyles won the 100 m and 200 m at this year’s U.S. Olympic trials. And after struggling with his mental health in the lead-up to Tokyo, where he won a disappointing 200-m bronze, Lyles is primed for Paris. “I can finally say I’m showing up to an Olympic Games not depressed,” Lyles said on Monday. “And it feels amazing.”

Kerley took third in the 100, while Knighton qualified third in the 200, at trials. Kenny Bednarek, the 200-m silver medalist in Tokyo, finished second in both events and is a threat to do damage in Tokyo. “I think the dark horse, in both the 100 and 200, is Kenny,” says Justin Gatlin, the five-time Olympic medalist who now hosts a track podcast.

Men’s 100-m final: Sunday, August 4, 9:50 p.m. in Paris, 3:50 p.m. E.T. 

Men’s 200-m final: Thursday, August 8, 8:30 p.m. in Paris, 2:30 p.m. E.T.

USA vs. Jamaica: Women’s Sprinting

Jamaica has dominated the women’s 100 and 200 at the last two Olympics. Elaine Thompson-Herah swept the gold medals in both races, at both Games. Jamaica went 1-2-3 in the 100 in Tokyo.

But Sha’Carri Richardson wasn’t in Japan: remember, the American 100-m star was suspended for testing positive for cannabis before Tokyo. She has the fastest 100-m time in the world this year, and at last year’s world championships, Jamaican sprinters Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished behind Richardson, in second and third, respectively. (Thompson-Herah will miss the Paris Olympics due to an Achilles injury.) In the 200, Harvard grad Gabby Thomas ran the world’s best time this year at the U.S. trials, but Jackson is the world defending champ.

“I love it,” Thomas says of the U.S.-Jamaica clashes on the track. “We’re pushing each other to run some really cool times. Women’s sprints right now are incredible to watch. I wish I could just be a fan.” 

Women’s 100-m final: Saturday, August 3, 9:20 p.m. in Paris, 3:20 p.m. E.T. 

Women’s 200-m final: Tuesday, August 6, 9:40 p.m. in Paris,  3:40 p.m. E.T.

Women’s 4×100-m relay final: Friday, August 9, 7:30 p.m. in Paris, 1:30 p.m. E.T.

USA vs. Norway vs. Brazil – Men’s 400-M Hurdles

What do the United States, Norway, and Brazil have in common? Definitely not levels of snowfall. 

No, these three nations, disparate at first glance, have produced the three fastest 400-m hurdlers of all time. 

And they’ll all be in Paris. Back in Tokyo three summers ago, Karsten Warholm of Norway and Rai Benjamin of the United States ran the race of the Games: Warhom broke a world record, running under 46 seconds for the first time in history; Benjamin, meanwhile, ran the second-fastest race ever, but that still wasn’t good enough for gold. Alison Dos Santos of Brazil finished third, with the third-fastest time in history: he then improved that time at the next year’s world championships, winning the title.

“What we’re doing is not normal,” Dos Santos said before an Olympic tune-up race in Monaco a few weeks ago. Mark your calendars for this one. 

Men’s 400-m hurdles final: Friday, August 9, 9:45 p.m. in Paris, 3:45 p.m. E.T.

USA vs. Netherlands – Women’s 400-M Hurdles

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the United States and Femke Bol of the Netherlands are so far ahead of the field in this race, their 400-m hurdles time could have qualified for Paris in the 400-m flat. They’re the only two women in history to run this event under 51 seconds, and McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the 400-m hurdles at the U.S. Olympic trials in late June. But in July, Bol served notice that she’s a real threat to McLaughlin-Levrone’s supremacy: she set a new European record of 50.95 seconds at a meet in Switzerland. According to the Olympic information services, Bol’s nickname is Bambi, “given to her by her teammates as she is the youngest and seen as being a bit clumsy.”

“We cannot overlook the fact that in the last couple of years, Femke Bol has definitely upped her game,” says Gatlin. “We’re at a point now where it comes down to positioning. If Femke has a good lane where she feeds off of Sydney’s energy and kind of maybe pace her or track her, she can strike in the home stretch and run stride-for-stride with Sydney.” 

The GOATs are going head-to-head in hurdles. “Sydney is the clear favorite,” Bol said in Paris on Tuesday. “But I will be ready for it.”

You don’t want to miss it. 

Women’s 400-m hurdles final: Thursday, August 8, 9:25 p.m. in Paris, 3:25 p.m. E.T.

Great Britain vs. Norway—Men’s 1500 M

Jakob Ingebrigtsen of Norway is the defending Olympic champion in the 1,500-m. Josh Kerr of Great Britain is the defending world champ in the metric mile, having passed Ingebrigtsen during a ferocious kick in the last 200 m at last year’s worlds. The pair have taken a war of words into these Olympics. Kerr has said that Ingebrigtsen has a “high ego,” is surrounded by “yes men,” and “has some flaws in the manners realm.” And after Kerr broke Mo Farah’s indoor two-mile world record at the Millrose Games in New York City in February, Ingebrigtsen, who did not compete in that event, said: “I would have beaten him in that race, blindfolded.”

The Ingebrigtsen-Kerr clash even has Gatlin, who’s a sprinter through and through, juiced. “It brings a whole different component to their event,” says Gatlin. “Like, yeah, there’s been rivalries in the past, but never to this level of people talking smack to each other and really having a grudge. When they go out there and run, it makes you want to grab your popcorn and go out to this race.”

Men’s 1,500-m final: Tuesday, August 6, 8:50 p.m. in Paris, 3:50 p.m. E.T.

India vs. Pakistan: Men’s Javelin

This rivalry is far friendlier, which is ironic, given the long history of conflict and border skirmishes between these two countries. In fact, Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan even lists Neeraj Chopra of India, the reigning Olympic and world champion, as his hero in his official Olympic bio. Chopra offered vocal support for Nadeem when he was fighting his federation to secure a new javelin.  Nadeem, the flag bearer for Pakistan’s seven-member athlete delegation at the opening ceremonies, won silver at last year’s world championship, so he’s a clear contender to end his hero’s run of golds. He’s the first Pakistani to win a medal at worlds; the country has never won an Olympic track-and-field medal in its history. 

Men’s javelin final: Thursday, August 8, 8:25 p.m. in Paris, 3:25 p.m. E.T.