Men's 200m
Who: Michael Norman (USA), Baboloki Thebe (Botswana), Clarence Munyai (South Africa), Nigel Ellis (JAM), Tlotliso Leotlela (South Africa), Akeem Bloomfield (JAM), Maxwell Willis (USA)
When: Heats on Thursday, July 21, at 11:30 a.m. local time; Semifinal on Thursday, July 21, at 6:30 p.m. local time; Final on Friday, July 22, at 9:30 p.m. local time
Why: USC commit Michael Norman is the top seed here, as No. 1-U20-ranked Noah Lyles is opting for the 100m. Norman ranks No. 3 on the U.S. all-time list at 20.15, and is coming off an impressive fifth-place finish in the 200m final at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Lyles set the national high school record at 20.09 with a fourth-place finish at the Trials, but Norman could certainly lower the record in Bydogszcz this week.
The 18-year-old California native's top competition will be Baboloki Thebe of Botswana, who owns impressive marks of 20.21 (+1.4) for 200m and 44.22 for 400m, and is entered in both events! But Steven Mills of the IAAF indicated the 19-year-old he will likely choose one event to contest as both finals are on Friday evening.
Others to watch are South Africans Clarence Munyai and Tlotliso Leotlela, who are seeded at 20.36 and 20.47, respectively, as well as Jamaicans Nigel Ellis and Akeem Bloomfield, who are seeded No. 4 at 20.40 and No. 6 at 20.66. Florida State commit Maxwell Willis of the USA won silver in the 200m at the 2015 IAAF World Youth Championships, and enters this event ranked No. 7 on the provisional entry list.
Michael Norman after placing fifth in the U.S. Olympic Trials 200m final: