Noah Lyles Reveals Track Icons He Wants to Race and His Ambitions for the 2028 Olympics

When Noah Lyles achieved the 100-meter Olympic crown at the Paris Olympics, he became the track star to look forward to in the upcoming events. In a recent interview with Betches, the American sprinter revealed the names of two famous athletes he would love to race against. He also discussed his objectives for the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will take place in Los Angeles.

In the interview, the 27-year-old was asked, “#1 person you’d want to challenge to a race?”  While given the choice of mentioning only one athlete, Lyles chose to list two of his top picks from track and field history.

“I definitely would like to race Usain, because I didn’t get to race him during my period, but I’d also like to race Michael Johnson.“

Lyles wanted to race against the biggest names in track and field: Usain Bolt and Michael Johnson, who were both from separate generations and were at the top of their game in their respective running categories.

However, both athletes ran the 200 meters, which was common ground for Lyles and them. Even though it would be practically impossible, the American sprinter hoped to battle against these two track greats during their prime.

Aside from wanting to compete against two of the best sprinters in track and field, Lyles was questioned about his goals for the next Olympic Games in 2028, “what does 2028 mean to you?”

The 27-year-old acknowledged it as one of the next greatest challenges in his illustrious sporting career. However, the athlete established a goal of making the Los Angeles Games the best Olympics of his career.

Until the coveted race, Lyles will hold the title of the world’s fastest man, owing to his 100-meter Olympic victory in Paris. However, the sportsman hopes to keep this title, and he previously stated his plans for the following three years on an episode of Nightcap.

Lyles’ sets sights on defending World Championship titles

To Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson’s curiosity, Lyles revealed that his primary goal for the upcoming 2025 season would be to defend his double World Championship title in the 100 and 200 meters.

Because the American sprinter has already qualified for the prestigious event in Tokyo, his primary focus is on preparations for the gold medal.

However, with his mastery of these two track categories, he hopes to surpass his own personal bests in both while remaining laser-focused on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Every race building up to the event will be challenging, but Lyles is the type of person who is willing to push his abilities to their absolute limits.