Noah Lyles Set for 300m Showdown with NCAA Champion in Season Opener on Friday

The stage is set for a thrilling 300m showdown between four-time world 200m champion Noah Lyles and NCAA Champion Cheickna Traore at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational on Friday, January 14.

The clash will promise to be a clash of sprinting titans. Noah Lyles, known for his explosive speed and championship pedigree, has previously turned heads in the 300m. In 2017, the reigning Olympic 100m champion ran 31.87 seconds, setting a world indoor best at the time.

Traore, a rising star from the NCAA circuit, brings youthful energy and determination to the matchup and will be out to show fans what he is capable of.

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The event will also feature the PURE Athletics adidas men’s 4x400m relay team, adding another layer of excitement to the meet.

Meanwhile, Noah Lyles is also set to make his return to the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. The prestigious event will take place on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the TRACK at New Balance.

Noah Lyles will be competing in Boston for the eighth time. The 300m race this Friday will be a great buildup for the American sprinter.

Noah Lyles kickstarted his 2025 season with a victory in the 60m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, his fourth consecutive win there.

He went on to secure his fourth straight 200m world title, a bronze medal in the 100m, and anchored the victorious US 4x100m relay team at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Winners of the overall World Athletics Indoor Tour receive a $10,000 prize and automatic qualification for the 2026 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland.

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix will also feature a compelling 2000m race, pitting middle-distance and long-distance stars against each other.

The lineup includes 2022 World 1500m Champion Jake Wightman and double Olympic bronze medalist Grant Fisher.

Jake Wightman made a triumphant return to form last season after battling injuries, claiming a silver medal in the 1500m at the World Championships.

Grant Fisher, a decorated American distance runner, earned bronze in both the 5000m and 10,000m at the Paris Olympics and set indoor world records at 3000m and 5000m last year.

Elle St. Pierre, the American record-holder at 3000m, is also slated to compete. The Vermont native is the reigning World Indoor Champion over 3000m, having won gold in Glasgow in 2024 with a national record time of 8:20.87.