Noah Lyles is set to chase history when he competes in the 200m at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich on August 28. The Olympic 100m champion already holds five Diamond League titles, four in the 200m and one in the 100m.
Victory in Zurich would make him the first track athlete ever to win six Diamond Trophies. It would also leave him just one short of the all-time record of seven, jointly held by French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie and US triple jumper Christian Taylor.
For Lyles, Zurich is about cementing his legacy as one of the most dominant sprinters in Diamond League history. Another title would not only set him apart in the sprinting ranks but also bring him within touching distance of becoming the most successful Diamond League athlete across all disciplines.
The American star entered this year’s Diamond League season later than usual due to injury but has quickly shown signs of top form. In July, he won the 200m in Monaco on his season debut before finishing second in the 100m in both London and Silesia. These performances underline his readiness to deliver on the big stage.
“With Weltklasse Zürich being the last race before World Championships I am looking to run something special,” Lyles said.
How the Wild Card Works
Lyles will compete in Zurich through a global wild card entry. This system allows athletes who have participated at least once during the Road to the Final to contest the Diamond Trophy.
Wild card athletes are fully eligible to be crowned Diamond League champions, meaning Lyles has a legitimate chance to add another title to his collection despite his shortened season.
The Zurich showdown will not come easy, as Lyles faces stiff competition from Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo. Tebogo, the reigning Olympic 200m champion from Paris 2024, is targeting his first Diamond Trophy in 2025.
The clash between the experienced Lyles and the rising star Tebogo promises to be one of the highlights of the Final, pitting the Diamond League’s most decorated sprinter against the newest global champion.
About the Wanda Diamond League
The Wanda Diamond League is the world’s premier one-day athletics series, bringing together 15 of the most prestigious meetings in track and field. Athletes accumulate points across 14 series meetings in a bid to qualify for the two-day Final in Zurich. This year’s Final will take place on August 27–28, 2025.
The Final will be split into two days of action. The opening day on August 27 will be held at Zurich’s Sechseläutenplatz and will feature five field events: the men’s pole vault, women’s high jump, men’s long jump, and both men’s and women’s shot put. The second day on August 28 will shift to the Letzigrund Stadium, where the remaining 27 disciplines will unfold in a packed four-hour program of world-class athletics, including the much-anticipated men’s 200m.
With the Final also serving as a key tune-up ahead of the World Championships, the stage is perfectly set for Lyles to run something special and etch his name deeper into athletics history.
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