Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres

The men's 200 metres event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 3 and 4 August 2021 at the Olympic Stadium.[1] 48 athletes from 33 nations competed, including five universality places (one universality place was used in 2016).[2] Canada earned its first gold medal in the event since 1928 and third overall, as Andre De Grasse added gold to his 2016 silver to become the 12th man to earn multiple medals in the 200 metres. Kenneth Bednarek and Noah Lyles, both of the United States, took silver and bronze as Americans reached the podium for the first time since 2008 (where they coincidentally also won two medals: a silver, and a bronze). Jamaica's three-Games gold medal streak in the event ended, with Usain Bolt having retired.

Men's 200 metres
at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad
Gold medalist Andre De Grasse
VenueOlympic Stadium
Dates3 August 2021 (quarterfinals & semifinals)
4 August 2021 (final)
Competitors48 from 33 nations
Winning time19.62
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Andre De Grasse  Canada
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Kenneth Bednarek  United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Noah Lyles  United States
← 2016
2024 →
Official Video Highlights

Summary

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As the reigning World Champion, Noah Lyles came in as the favorite, but he was challenged in the US Trials by Kenny Bednarek and 17 year old Erriyon Knighton. Lyles left Eugene with the fastest time of the year. Andre De Grasse was the returning silver medalist. Adam Gemili, Alonso Edward, and Ramil Guliyev returned from five years earlier, but only De Grasse was able to qualify out of the semi-final round and he did so in style, breaking his own Canadian Record set in the semi-finals of the 2016 Olympics. This time too, he was eased up looking back at Bednarek in the last stages of this race. The second semi produced drama as Aaron Brown took an early lead with a fast start. Lyles passed him with his typical speed coming off the turn, then eased up to save energy at the finish allowing Brown to catch him at the line. Surprising both of them was another American high schooler, Joseph Fahnbulleh running for Liberia, coming from well off the pace to pip Lyles at the line. All three were timed in 19.99, a new Liberian Record. The favorite, Lyles in third, had to rely on time to get into the final.

In the final, De Grasse reacted fastest and his Canadian teammate Brown got a good start, both of them making up ground on the stagger of the Americans to their outside, Bednarek and 17 year old Erriyon Knighton, respectively. Through the second half of the turn, Bednarek and Lyles asserted themselves to hit the straightaway together with a slight lead. This is where Lyles usually shined but he did not show the same dominating top-end speed coming off the turn. De Grasse ended the turn slightly behind, but came back to battle Bednarek next to him and Lyles across the track. Knighton passed Brown but it was De Grasse who had the closing speed, passing and opening up a small gap on Bednarek. In the last 20 metres, Bednarek narrowed the gap to De Grasse slightly, but it was a clear win for De Grasse, who was timed in 19.62 into a −0.5 mps wind.[3]

With his score, De Grasse finally moved into the top 10 of all-time in the 200m, a status foretold six years earlier with a wind-aided 19.58 while competing for the University of Southern California. Bednarek, in second, ran 19.68 to claim a tie with Frankie Fredericks (second behind Michael Johnson at the 1996 Olympics). Fahnbulleh came from dead last to reach 19.98, improving his Liberian national record. 17 year old Knighton finished fourth, setting an American age record.[4] It was the first time in the Olympic history that five men dipped below 20 seconds in an Olympic 200m final.

Background

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This was the 28th time the event was held; it was not held at the first 1896 Olympics but has been on the program ever since.

Brunei made its men's 200 metres debut. The United States made its 27th appearance in the event, most of any nation, having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games.

Qualification

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A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could enter up to three qualified athletes in the men's 200 metres event if all athletes meet the entry standard or qualify by ranking during the qualifying period. (The limit of three has been in place since the 1930 Olympic Congress.) The qualifying standard is 20.24 seconds. This standard was "set for the sole purpose of qualifying athletes with exceptional performances unable to qualify through the IAAF World Rankings pathway." The world rankings, based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period and weighted by the importance of the meet, will then be used to qualify athletes until the cap of 56 is reached.[2][5]

The qualifying period was originally from 1 May 2019 to 29 June 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the period was suspended from 6 April 2020 to 30 November 2020, with the end date extended to 29 June 2021. The world rankings period start date was also changed from 1 May 2019 to 30 June 2020; athletes who had met the qualifying standard during that time were still qualified, but those using world rankings would not be able to count performances during that time. The qualifying time standards could be obtained in various meets during the given period that have the approval of the IAAF. Only outdoor meets were eligible for the sprints and short hurdles, including the 200 metres. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period.[2][6]

NOCs can also use their universality place—each NOC can enter one male athlete regardless of time if they had no male athletes meeting the entry standard for an athletics event—in the 200 metres.[2]

Entry number: 56.

Qualification standard No. of athletes NOC Nominated athletes
Entry standard – 20.24 3   Great Britain Miguel Francis
Adam Gemili
Zharnel Hughes
2   Jamaica Rasheed Dwyer
Julian Forte
3   United States Kenny Bednarek
Erriyon Knighton
Noah Lyles
2   Canada Aaron Brown
Andre De Grasse
1   Ghana Joseph Amoah
Benjamin Azamati-Kwaku
2   South Africa Shaun Maswanganyi
Clarence Munyai
2   Trinidad and Tobago Kyle Greaux
Jereem Richards
1   Bahamas Steven Gardiner
1   Barbados Mario Burke
1   Botswana Isaac Makwala
1   Brazil Aldemir da Silva Júnior
1   China Xie Zhenye
1   Colombia Bernardo Baloyes
1   Dominican Republic Yancarlos Martínez
1   Ecuador Álex Quiñónez
1   Liberia Joseph Fahnbulleh
1   Japan Abdul Hakim Sani Brown
1   Nigeria Divine Oduduru
1   Panama Alonso Edward
1   Switzerland Alex Wilson
1   Turkey Ramil Guliyev
1   Zambia Sydney Siame
World ranking 2   Brazil Jorge Vides
Lucas Vilar
2   Ireland Marcus Lawler
Leon Reid
2   Italy Fausto Desalu
Antonio Infantino
2   Japan Shota Iizuka
Jun Yamashita
1   Belgium Robin Vanderbemden
1   Canada Brendon Rodney
1   Czech Republic Jan Jirka
1   Germany Steven Müller
1   Great Britain Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake
1   Liberia Emmanuel Matadi
1   Lithuania Gediminas Truskauskas
1   Netherlands Taymir Burnet
1   Slovakia Ján Volko
1   South Africa Anaso Jobodwana
1   Switzerland William Reais
1   Ukraine Serhiy Smelyk
Universality Places 1   Brunei Muhd Noor Firdaus Ar-Rasyid
1   Cameroon Emmanuel Eseme
1   El Salvador José Andrés Salazar
1   Eswatini Sibusiso Matsenjwa
1   Lebanon Noureddine Hadid
Total 56

Withdrawn after qualification by standard or ranking: Miguel Francis, Benjamin Azamati-Kwaku, Zharnel Hughes, Christophe Lemaitre, Mouhamadou Fall, Méba-Mickaël Zeze, Jeffrey John, Paulo André de Oliveira.

Of the finalists from the 2016 Games:

Competition format

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The event continued to use the three rounds format introduced in 2012. There were 7 heats, with the top 3 runners in each heat and the next 3 overall advancing to the semifinals. There were 3 semifinals, with the top 2 in each semifinal and next 2 overall advancing to the final.[7]

Records

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Prior to this competition, the existing global and area records were as follows:

Global records before the 2020 Summer Olympics
Record Athlete (Nation) Time (s) Location Date
World record   Usain Bolt (JAM) 19.19 Berlin, Germany 20 August 2009
Olympic record   Usain Bolt (JAM) 19.30 Beijing, China 20 August 2008
World leading   Noah Lyles (USA) 19.52 [8] Eugene, Oregon, United States 27 June 2021
Area records before the 2020 Summer Olympics
Area Time (s) Wind Athlete Nation
Africa (records) 19.68 +0.4 Frank Fredericks   Namibia
Asia (records) 19.88 +0.9 Xie Zhenye   China
Europe (records) 19.72[A] +1.8 Pietro Mennea   Italy
North, Central America
and Caribbean
(records)
19.19 WR −0.3 Usain Bolt   Jamaica
Oceania (records) 20.06[A] +0.9 Peter Norman   Australia
South America (records) 19.81 −0.3 Alonso Edward   Panama

The following national records were established during the competition:

Country Athlete Round Time Notes
Dominican Republic Yancarlos Martínez Round 1 20.17
Eswatini Sibusiso Matsenjwa Round 1 20.34
Semifinals 20.22
Liberia Joseph Fahnbulleh Semifinals 19.99
Final 19.98
Canada Andre De Grasse Semifinals 19.73
Final 19.62

Schedule

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All times are Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)

The men's 200 metres took place over two consecutive days.[1]

Date Time Round
Tuesday, 3 August 2021 9:00
19:00
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
Wednesday, 4 August 2021 18:30 Final

Results

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Round 1

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Qualification Rules: First 3 in each heat (Q) and the next 3 fastest (q) advance to Semifinals.

Heat 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 7 Rasheed Dwyer   Jamaica 0.163 20.31 Q
2 8 Divine Oduduru   Nigeria 0.129 20.36 Q
3 4 Anaso Jobodwana   South Africa 0.119 20.78 Q
4 2 Jorge Vides   Brazil 0.161 20.94
5 3 Fodé Sissoko   Mali 0.167 21.00
6 5 Shōta Iizuka   Japan 0.148 21.02
7 6 José Andrés Salazar   El Salvador 0.145 21.66
Wind: -0.3 m/s

Heat 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 4 Jereem Richards   Trinidad and Tobago 0.187 20.52 Q
2 6 Shaun Maswanganyi   South Africa 0.142 20.58 Q
3 2 Taymir Burnet   Netherlands 0.137 20.60 Q, SB
4 3 Emmanuel Eseme   Cameroon 0.160 20.65
5 7 Ján Volko   Slovakia 0.160 21.21
6 5 Abdul Hakim Sani Brown   Japan 0.149 21.41 SB
9 Jan Jirka   Czech Republic 0.150 DQ TR 17.3.1
8 Bernardo Baloyes   Colombia DNS
Wind: +0.9 m/s

Heat 3

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 5 Femi Ogunode   Qatar 0.154 20.37 Q
2 6 Ramil Guliyev   Turkey 0.158 20.54 Q
3 2 Andre De Grasse   Canada 0.122 20.56 Q
4 3 Kyle Greaux   Trinidad and Tobago 0.149 20.77
5 4 Jun Yamashita   Japan 0.118 20.78
6 8 Aldemir da Silva Júnior   Brazil 0.160 20.84 SB
Wind: -0.6 m/s

Heat 4

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 4 Erriyon Knighton   United States 0.173 20.55 Q
2 8 Alonso Edward   Panama 0.185 20.60 Q
3 5 Robin Vanderbemden   Belgium 0.142 20.70 Q, SB
4 6 Sydney Siame   Zambia 0.171 21.01
5 2 Gediminas Truskauskas   Lithuania 0.140 21.02
6 3 Steven Müller   Germany 0.156 21.08
7 7 Adam Gemili   Great Britain 0.180 1:58.58
Wind: +0.6 m/s

Heat 5

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 4 Aaron Brown   Canada 0.157 20.38 Q
2 2 Joseph Fahnbulleh   Liberia 0.147 20.46 Q
3 6 William Reais   Switzerland 0.147 20.51 Q
4 7 Serhiy Smelyk   Ukraine 0.144 20.53 SB
5 5 Antonio Infantino   Italy 0.132 20.90
6 3 Lucas Vilar   Brazil 0.171 21.31
7 8 Muhd Noor Firdaus Ar-Rasyid   Brunei 0.174 21.83 SB
Wind: -0.7 m/s

Heat 6

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 5 Kenneth Bednarek   United States 0.184 20.01 Q
2 8 Yancarlos Martínez   Dominican Republic 0.164 20.17 Q, NR
3 4 Fausto Desalu   Italy 0.131 20.29 Q, SB
4 2 Xie Zhenye   China 0.159 20.34 q, SB
5 3 Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake   Great Britain 0.163 20.56 SB
6 7 Marcus Lawler   Ireland 0.145 20.73 SB
6 Emmanuel Matadi   Liberia DNS
Wind: -0.4 m/s

Heat 7

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 8 Noah Lyles   United States 0.171 20.18 Q
2 9 Sibusiso Matsenjwa   Eswatini 0.172 20.34 Q, NR
3 3 Joseph Amoah   Ghana 0.171 20.35 Q, SB
4 4 Clarence Munyai   South Africa 0.135 20.49 q, =SB
5 5 Leon Reid   Ireland 0.135 20.53 q, SB
6 7 Brendon Rodney   Canada 0.150 20.60
7 6 Julian Forte   Jamaica 0.152 20.65
8 2 Noureddine Hadid   Lebanon 0.157 21.12
Wind: +0.4 m/s

Semifinals

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Qualification rules: First 2 in each heat (Q) and the next 2 fastest (q) advance to the final.

Semi-final 1

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 4 Erriyon Knighton   United States 0.172 20.02 Q
2 6 Rasheed Dwyer   Jamaica 0.141 20.13 Q, SB
3 7 Divine Oduduru   Nigeria 0.140 20.16
4 9 Joseph Paul Amoah   Ghana 0.168 20.27 SB
5 5 Femi Ogunode   Qatar 0.160 20.34
6 8 Fausto Desalu   Italy 0.149 20.43
7 2 Xie Zhenye   China 0.154 20.45
8 3 Anaso Jobodwana   South Africa 0.151 20.88
Wind: -0.2 m/s

Semi-final 2

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 7 Aaron Brown   Canada 0.151 19.99 (19.982) Q, SB
1 6 Joseph Fahnbulleh   Liberia 0.140 19.99 (19.982) Q, NR
3 5 Noah Lyles   United States 0.179 19.99 (19.983) q
4 4 Yancarlos Martínez   Dominican Republic 0.141 20.24
5 8 William Reais   Switzerland 0.149 20.44 SB
6 2 Clarence Munyai   South Africa 0.142 20.49 =SB
7 3 Robin Vanderbemden   Belgium 0.132 21.00
9 Alonso Edward   Panama 0.147 DNF
Wind: -0.4 m/s

Semi-final 3

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
1 9 Andre De Grasse   Canada 0.139 19.73 Q, NR
2 6 Kenneth Bednarek   United States 0.176 19.83 Q
3 5 Jereem Richards   Trinidad and Tobago 0.161 20.10 q, SB
4 8 Shaun Maswanganyi   South Africa 0.151 20.18
5 7 Sibusiso Matsenjwa   Eswatini 0.158 20.22 NR
6 4 Ramil Guliyev   Turkey 0.156 20.31 SB
7 3 Leon Reid   Ireland 0.139 20.54
8 2 Taymir Burnet   Netherlands 0.126 20.90
Wind: +0.2 m/s

Final

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Rank Lane Athlete Nation Reaction Time Notes
  6 Andre De Grasse   Canada 0.135 19.62 NR
  7 Kenneth Bednarek   United States 0.165 19.68 PB
  3 Noah Lyles   United States 0.151 19.74 =SB
4 5 Erriyon Knighton   United States 0.159 19.93
5 8 Joseph Fahnbulleh   Liberia 0.141 19.98 NR
6 4 Aaron Brown   Canada 0.157 20.20
7 9 Rasheed Dwyer   Jamaica 0.148 20.21
8 2 Jereem Richards   Trinidad and Tobago 0.149 20.39
Wind: -0.5 m/s

References

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  1. ^ a b "Athletics Competition Schedule". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Qualification System – Games of the XXXI Olympiad – Athletics" (PDF). IAAF. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  3. ^ Cacciola, Scott (4 August 2021). "Andre De Grasse wins the 200 meters, his second medal at these Games". Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021 – via NYTimes.com.
  4. ^ "Fahnbulleh Puts Liberia In Olympic Top 5". 4 August 2021. Archived from the original on 5 August 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  5. ^ "IAAF to follow other sports with world ranking system for athletes". BBC Sport. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Olympic qualification period suspended until 1 December 2020". World Athletics. 6 April 2020. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Athletics Explanatory Guide". Tokyo 2020. August 2019.
  8. ^ "Season Top Lists – Senior 2021 – 200 Metres men", World Athletics, 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2024.