Noah Lyles, a six-time world champion, has captured the attention of the whole track community with his recent 150-meter performance at the Atlanta City Games. The athlete not only swept along the straight line with incredible speed, but he also equalled the American record in the category, putting him in the rankings with Tyson Gay.
This accomplishment was also recognized by four-time world champion Justin Gatlin and Rodney A. Green, who discussed the track star on their Ready Set Go podcast on YouTube.
Lyles has been making the headlines lately, as he is the leading contender for the 200-meter world record this Olympic season. The six-time world champion has expressed a desire to smash Usain Bolt’s long-standing record, set at the 2009 World Championships. Lyles has a precise time of 19.10 seconds in mind because he has also been working for it.
In the podcast, the two former athletes discussed how the American track sensation made headlines after running an astounding 14.41 seconds in the 150-meter race. The achievement also leaves Gatlin stunned, as he expresses his surprise:
“That 150, and the mark that he put up, and then also looking at how he ran at the world relays in the Bahamas, it gives you a good bearing of what top and speed looks like…I was surprised that he was able to capability of running that fast this early…”
The four-time world champion begins his remark by explaining the distinction between Lyles’ performance at the World Relays and the Atlanta City Games. He claims that because Team USA was not under any pressure from the other nations; they had a comfortable advantage heading into the last leg of the 4×100-meter relay.
Lyles, who was scheduled to run in the penultimate sector, did not divulge his entire pace despite completing an 8.88 split. However, Gatlin claims that, like any other athlete, in the individual heats, the six-time world champion transforms into an entirely new and more formidable rival.
The American track icon also predicts that Lyles will put in a lot of effort in his 200-meter races and will eventually achieve his primary goal if his training and racing strategies are correct. Usain Bolt made a similar remark about Lyles’ performance, indicating that he is also looking forward to the athlete this season.
The Jamaican Legend Adds Noah Lyles to his Prediction List
It’s rare for Usain Bolt to want his own records broken but in an interview with Citius Mag, the Jamaican legend stated that Noah Lyles is on his radar. He believes that since the American athlete’s 2022 World Championships 200-meter performance, in which he broke the American record with a 19.31-second time, he has progressed significantly, as will be witnessed throughout the Olympic season.
Bolt cannot be certain because the athlete has yet to compete in the category; however, he agrees that if Lyles puts in the necessary effort and corrects certain errors in his running, he will be the one to break the long-standing record.
