Track aficionados had their eyes set on the 2024 World Relays in the Bahamas, with some big names looking to secure the Olympics spot through the event. There were questions being raised about the USATF relay team, but Noah Lyles and his team proved the critics wrong by winning first place in the Bahamas.
Many teams competed in the World Relays intending to qualify for the Paris Olympics. However, only a few of them would have made it to the sport’s largest stage, including Team USA.
USATF relay team had Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Noah Lyles as representatives. All of these athletes had the ability to perform and win gold, which they finally did. Lindsey got the entire team off to a fast start, followed by Bednarek, who raced around the field and threw the baton to King. The young athlete then sprinted perfectly through the race course before passing the baton to Lyles.
The six-time world champion was already ahead of the field and maintained his form to the finish line. Lyles won gold for the relay team, which secured them a ticket to the Paris Olympics.
Team USA was significantly quicker than the entire grid, clocking in at 37.49 seconds. The USATF is now confident in their athletes for the Olympics after defeating the strongest teams at the international event.
37.49 👀@LylesNoah brings it home for the US 4x100m team ‼️#WorldRelays pic.twitter.com/rZU7Imbaja
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) May 5, 2024
The athletes’ excitement is evident in the photo that World Athletics shared on their X account. They gave their all despite the criticism competitors like Lyles received when he didn’t win gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championship.
Noah Lyles’ simple statement for the critics
Noah Lyles was selected to compete in the 4×400-meter relay at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow. He rarely competes in the 400-meter event, so it was a new experience for the athlete. Despite being a novice, Lyles ran admirably, taking a comfortable lead into the final leg of the relay race.
However, Team USA only managed to secure silver in the event, prompting critics to go after the athlete. But in an interview with Yahoo Sports, Lyles was open about the criticism he had received. He also stated that there is no designated position for an athlete of his caliber, as everyone must prove themselves in order to qualify for the Olympics.
Lyles is open to constructive criticism since it helps him identify problems in his running and work to improve them at each practice session. The six-time world champion made these statements before the outdoor season, and he has since performed at his peak, winning gold in every event he has competed in.
