“Andre Needed To Win That Race”: Noah Lyles More Motivated Than Ever To Secure Gold And Overcome Tokyo Olympics Disappointment

Noah Lyles sobbed uncontrollably in an almost empty stadium in Tokyo when he finished third in the Men’s 200m sprint. A favorite to win the gold in the event, the pressure got to Lyles, and Canada’s Andre de Grasse ran to victory.

In the latest video on his YouTube channel, Lyles spoke about the heartbreak that he suffered in Tokyo at the hands of Grasse. Having spent the last three years perfecting his imperfections, the 27-year-old now feels that his losing the race in Tokyo was an important element in helping him grow as an athlete.

“Maybe Andre needed to win that race because he needed to touch somebody else’s life.”

Adding to his statement, Lyles said that his seeing his bronze medal as a failure did not mean it was one. A failure is only a failure when one does not give their 100% to the cause. The American sprinter is on the hunt for the perfect race and needs the perfect environment for it.

As such, feeding off the energy from the audience at the Paris Olympics could be a key factor. Eyeing Usain Bolt’s mantle, the upcoming race in the French capital could well be the make-or-break race for Lyles.

The stage is set for Lyles to make history, but he knows that breaking records will require more than just crowd support.

19.30 remains the magic number to beat

After last year’s world championships, Lyles became an instant hero among American audiences owing to his actions. Having become the world champion of his discipline, the Gainesville native still felt something missing.

And that something was the world record in the 200m category. Specializing in the discipline, Lyles’ personal best stands at 19.31 seconds. While it was more than enough to take the gold in Tokyo, the time was only a millisecond behind the Olympic record.

Usain Bolt had zoomed to a win in an Olympic record time of 19.30 seconds at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. No one has since come close to taking the record, and Lyles hopes he can be the one to do it.