China started out strong in the Youth Olympic track and field competition, but the U.S. has come on strong with one day of events left at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center.
Noah Lyles, 17, won the 200m in 20.80 seconds out of lane 7 on Sunday.
“I was so excited to run, but being able to come out here and win gold on this stage is just amazing,” Lyles said, according to TeamUSA.org. “There are not enough words to explain the emotion that I’m feeling right now.”
Lyles is a rising junior at T.C. Williams High in Alexandria, Va., famous for being the “Remember the Titans” school. He overcame none other than his brother Josephus to win the Virginia state championships 200m.
Josephus Lyles competed for the U.S. in the World Junior Championships in Eugene, Ore., helping the U.S. 4x400m relay team to gold.
On Monday, Myles Marshall won the U.S.’ second track and field gold in the 800m in 1:49.14. Marshall’s father, John, made the 1984 Olympic 800m quarterfinals.
The two-lap distance has not seen much recent U.S. success on the Olympic stage, no men’s golds since Dave Wottle famously went from last to first in a cap to win by .03 in 1972.