Fresh from his victory in the 100-meter sprint at the Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles has shared insights into his winning strategy. In a recent episode of Nightcap on YouTube, Lyles discussed with Shannon Sharpe the tactics he used to outpace his competitors at the Stade de France.
Talking about the 100-meter finals, Noah explained that he and his coach broke the race into key segments. Lyles focused on a powerful start through the first 60 meters, then aimed to reach his top speed around the 80-meter mark.
For the final stretch, he emphasized maintaining form and position rather than trying to accelerate further, as pushing too hard in those last moments could lead to a breakdown in technique.
Sharpe then noted Lyles’ personal best of 9.81 in the 2024 London Diamond League, while also highlighting his main rival, Kishane Thompson, who had run a world-leading 9.77 at the Jamaican Olympic Trials.
When asked about his approach to surpassing Thompson, Lyles replied:
“To be honest, I had many strategies. They all kind were thrown out of the window, the closer and closer we got to the finals.”
Lyles elaborated on his initial strategy for the heats, which focused on improving his typically weak start in the first 60 meters. However, he admitted that his ADD led to overthinking and underestimating his competitors.
By the semifinals, Lyles had refocused. “… Aggression, mindset, and power,” he explained. This approach resulted in an impressive 9.83, just shy of his personal best.
“Now, I’m like, ‘Alright, aggression, mindset, power,’ everything like that, and it produced a really good time.”
Despite comfortably qualifying for the finals, Lyles recalled wanting to dominate even in the semifinals. A subsequent call with his therapist advised him to ease the pressure and embrace his natural showmanship. Lyles recalled:
“I’m like, ‘Well, shoot that’s how I do. I’m a showman. That’s what I do. All I gotta do is be me.'”
“Just be me,” this mindset carried into the finals, where Lyles was surprised and impressed by Thompson’s dramatic, Dragon Ball-inspired introduction to the crowd.
Ultimately, Lyles’ strategy of “just being me” proved successful. He finished with a time of 9.79, identical to Thompson’s, but crossed the finish line first by 0.005 seconds, securing his title as the new 100-meter Olympic champion.
