Olympics 2024: Men's and Women's 200m Preview

The track and field schedule gets underway at the Paris Olympics on August 1st, but who will come out on top over 200m in the French capital? 

Odds Now have taken a close look at the betting odds to run you through the major contenders over the half-lap distance. 

When do the 200 metres take place at Paris 2024?

The men's first round takes place on August 5th, followed by the repechage round a day later on August 6th. The semi-finals are then set for August 7th, followed by the final, which takes place on August 8th. 

The women's 200m schedule begins a day earlier. The first round is set for August 4th, followed by the repechage round and semi-finals, both of which take place on August 5th. The women's 200m final is then set for August 6th.

Men's 200 metres

Noah Lyles (1/3)

Team USA's Noah Lyles is unbeaten over 200m since losing in the Tokyo 2020 final three years ago. 

The American heads to Paris having won three consecutive world titles over the half-lap distance.

Lyles' US title-winning time of 19.53s in June stands as the fastest 200m time of the year so far and the 27-year-old will be hoping his dominance will continue into the Paris Games this summer. 

Above: Lyles is gunning for gold at 100m and 200m in Paris this summer. (Photo Credit: Alamy Images)

Kenneth Bednarek (13/2)

Fellow American Kenneth Bednarek is one of the two athletes who pipped Lyles at the Tokyo Games. 

The 25-year-old secured a 200m silver medal in the process but still comes in a firm second favourite behind his Team USA colleague. 

Nevertheless, Bednarek boasts the second-fastest time at 200m this year, courtesy of a 19.59s finish at the US Olympic trials last month. 

The American also won silver at the 2022 World Championships and is in as strong a position as any to oust Lyles again this time around. 

Letsile Tebogo (9/1)

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo is a distant outsider to win gold in Paris but landing a spot on the podium remains a strong possibility. 

Tebogo has won both silver and bronze at World Championship level, though his runners-up finish came over the 100m distance. 

His 19.71s time in Kenya back in April is the third-fastest of the year so far - a time bettered only by the two candidates previously discussed. 

Tebego hopes to win Botswana's third ever Olympic medal, but landing gold may be too big of an ask given the strength of his American counterparts. 

Above: Tebego has already won World Championship bronze over 200m. (Photo Credit: Alamy Images)

Women's 200 metres

Gabrielle Thomas (3/4)

Team USA runner Gabrielle Thomas already has experience of winning an Olympic medal, taking bronze over 200m in Tokyo three years ago. 

Thomas also won silver in the 4 x 100m relay but will still be hoping to improve on her already impressive medal haul. 

The 27-year-old has since won silver at the World Championships over 200m, as well as a US National Championship last year. 

Her momentum has continued into 2024 - the 21.78s finish she ran at the US Olympic Trials last month is the fastest time of any female runner this year - making it easy to see why she enters a firm favourite to win gold in Paris this summer. 

The withdrawal of Jamaica's Shericka Jackson - who headed into the Games hot on Thomas' heels on the betting odds - has further boosted Thomas' gold medal prospects in the French capital. 

Above: Thomas is hoping to better the 200m bronze she won in Tokyo back in 2021. (Photo Credit: Alamy Images) 

Julien Alfred (7/4)

Julien Alfred's 21.86s finish in a London Diamond League meeting last month is the third-fastest time ran over 200m this year. 

The time also set a new national record for her native Saint Lucia.

Her blistering finish in the English capital saw her finish second, behind the aforementioned gold medal favourite Thomas. 

Alfred moved up to second-favourite for gold after Jackson's withdrawal, which was due to a hamstring injury.

McKenzie Long (25/1)

Another Team USA runner has benefitted from the withdrawal of Jackson. McKenzie Long has moved up to third-favourite to win gold. 

Long is competing in her first Olympic Games but emerged victorious from her heat, securing a spot in Monday's semi-finals in the process. 

She comes in as a firm outsider behind USA teammate Thomas and Saint Lucia's Alfred, but a place on the podium is now looking a strong possibility for the 23-year-old.