Noah Lyles and other elite athletes are constantly in the company of fans, which helps fuel their fame. But this makes them the target of criticism, which isn’t necessarily helpful, regardless of what they do. However, as he explained in a recent interview with GQ Sports, the six-time world champion has become accustomed to such situations.
Noah Lyles‘s track and field resume is lengthy. Even though this won’t be his last Olympic Games, he still intends to race in the 4×400-meter relay in Paris, which will be a new adventure for the athlete. His experience will only grow in the years to come.
On the other hand, the six-time world champion has many hobbies outside of track and field, including fashion, anime, sponsorship deals, and more. As a result of all these things he does, he became famous, but he also gets a lot of vitriol from different types of individuals.
Although it may seem like a straightforward task, athletes’ mental health might take a hit from receiving criticism, which in turn causes them to underperform. However, Lyles sees things differently; he’s glad to see the criticism from an entirely different perspective, and he explains:
“In my head, if you’re talking about me, I must be doing something right.”
The athlete doesn’t back down from critics because he anticipates two types of audiences: those who will support his ideas and others who will oppose them. On the other hand, Lyles doesn’t waste time worrying about the people who are talking behind his back; he keeps his agendas in mind throughout the year.
In an episode of “Sprint” on Netflix, it was shown, how Noah has dealt with such individuals for a long time, where he detailed how he has been the target of hate speech simply for outlining his seasonal objectives.
Noah Lyles Goes Candid on the Dark Side of Track and Field
Noah Lyles has been quite candid when discussing issues related to track and field. He has addressed numerous instances, including those in which the track community blames any athlete for having seasonal objectives.
The six-time world champion remarked that having goals is extremely common for everyone, and track athletes are no exception. Everyone has specific objectives for any significant season, such as before an Olympic event or the World Championships.
Last year in Budapest, the athlete faced a similar issue when he stated that he wanted to accomplish a 9.65 in the 100 and a 19.10 in the 200, which sparked outrage and led to criticism. However, he cannot understand why the naysayers are causing such a controversy; rather than feeling deflated, Lyles becomes more amped and pumped for an event as a result of this predicament.
