Noah Lyles has a lot to prove to the world at the 2024 Paris Olympics. So far, he has had a rollercoaster season with some jaw-dropping moments and disappointments.
While he has six world championship titles to his name, he had to withdraw from the Monaco Diamond League this year. That, along with his loss to Jamaican sprinter, Oblique Seville, at the 2024 Racers Grand Prix, has added to fans’ apprehensions.
Yet, he persevered long enough to get through the Olympic Trials with a speedy finish, and now, he’s hungry for more. As the Olympic track and field events kick off, the world waits with bated breath for his appearance at the sprints.
In an interview with NBC News, Lyles revisited his competitions this season and confessed where he felt he stood in terms of his preparation. Unlike in the previous Olympics, where he narrowly missed out on a proper placement, he’s super confident about his skills this year.
“Whether I’m behind, I can hear every breath of every other athlete. I can hear the crowd sometimes. But I know where my foot needs to be. And if it’s not there, I know how to get it back to where it needs to be.”
Lyles, a world champion in multiple events in Budapest last year, prepares to excel, knowing only the Paris Olympic victory will satisfy him. His goal for the events this year is to get a four-gold sweep across the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and a potential 4x400m relay if he makes it.
“I feel that I’m not chasing. I’m more kind of defining. I’m defining that I’m the greatest. I’m going to be the greatest.”
The 27-year-old is popular for his hot takes, making bold statements wherever he goes. But the criticism surrounding that doesn’t bother him as much, as his ultimate purpose lies somewhere else.
Lyles opens up on criticism surrounding his personality
Lyles has always made an impression of being unabashed and loud about his opinions on his sport. Being a world champion was a significant milestone for any athlete, and he wanted more appreciation for it.
When he’s off-track, Lyles has garnered attention for his sense of style, his love for anime, and his fun personality. This created a larger pool of audience who enjoyed his sprints but gave more room for flak from the community.
In an interview with GQ Sports, he talked about how he dealt with critics who would target him in any given situation. Fortunately, he doesn’t take it the wrong way. For Lyles, more talk just translates to more attention, which is always positive in the end when his ultimate goal is to bring his sport into the spotlight.
