Sub-10s King vs World's Fastest Man: Akani Simbine and Noah Lyles face off in epic 100m clash at London Diamond League

For the first time this season, new sub-10s king Akani Simbine and world's fastest man Noah Lyles will face off in a thrilling 100m clash at the London Diamond League on Saturday, July 19.

The race, scheduled to be one of the star events during the world’s biggest one-day athletics meet, will welcome a sell-out crowd of 60,000 fans to the iconic London Stadium.

Lyles will feature for the third year in a row, gunning to extend his unbeaten streak at the meet. Two years ago, he took on Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo in the 200m, with just 0.03 separating them as the American won in 19.47s. While last year, both men emerged with then 100m PBs, Lyles once again winning, 9.81s to Tebogo’s 9.88s.

After a slightly delayed start to his Diamond League campaign this season due to an injury, Lyles returned to action in Monaco last week and defeated the Motswana again over 200m in 19.88s to 19.97s.

The World and Olympic 100m champion will be keen to keep his London streak alive when he faces not just Tebogo but South Africa's Smbine, who is on his sixth unbeaten streak in the event, with his last race at the Rabat Diamond League, where he clocked 9.95s.

Simbine is one of the three most in-form sprinters this season, having broken Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell's record for the most consecutive sub-10s (11 years), and now has the fifth most sub-10s clocked in history.

These feats have controversially earned him the accolade of the 'new sub-10s king,' which he'll be aiming to continue this streak in London against Lyles, making his season's debut in the event, and Tebogo will be fired up after his recent losses.

Other top contenders in the star-studded field capable of causing an upset are: World indoor champion Jeremiah Azu, world 100m bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes, and the Jamaican duo of Oblique Seville (making his Diamond League debut) and Ackeem Blake.

Following thrilling Diamond League fixtures in Oregon and Monaco over the past ten days, the London leg promises to be a spectacular highlight of the season.