Sprinters enter each event with a particular strategy to ace the track and get to their best speed possible, but not all of them are perfect. Even someone as legendary as Usain Bolt had some setbacks throughout his career. Recently, track and field icons Rodney Greene and Justin Gatlin discussed this situation, keeping sprinter Noah Lyles in mind.
Lyles recently paced through the track to win both the 100m and 200m Olympic trials this season. In both instances, the experts noted a quirk that he shared with several others and how it had been working out for him.
They began by talking about Liberian Olympic athlete, Joseph Fahnbulleh, and how his 100m sprint to win did not start as a success initially. However, once the pace picked up, things worked out in his favor, and he made it to the team. Similarly, several other track and field geniuses, including Bolt, had bad starts.
Bad starts weren’t a formula for failing a set strategy since it could happen to anyone. Gatlin argued that several sprinters, from yesteryear to current times, have shown bad starts but amazing finishes.
“You gotta realize, Bolt didn’t have a great start. Carl Lewis didn’t have a great start. They still went out there and got the job done.”
Weaknesses and setbacks could be integrated into one’s strategy, in which the athlete could work on strengthening other parts of a sprint. Both Gatlin and Greene agreed that one didn’t have to always focus on mending oneself and could just work with their differences to beat the odds.
“I think no one’s comfortable with it. You got to find comfort within your evolution…”
Furthermore, the icons also recalled how Lyles worked on himself after running several 60m indoor sprints to mend as many of his setbacks as he could. Hence, in the end, the duo felt the Olympian utilized a mindset that gave him an edge over the others.
“It’s almost like he has nothing to lose. Like I’m jumping in the 60s with the mind frame of I have nothing to lose, but I’m going to run my a** off. I’m gonna see where we at and we’re gonna build from there. And that’s where the confidence came from.”
The 26-year-old athlete’s mindset is something that has recently caught the attention of several fans owing to his unique take on the sport he loves. Perhaps Gatlin and Greene were on to something when they appreciated his track presence.
Lyles admitted to maintaining a positive mindset
The Florida native, who has been making waves recently for his spectacular performance at the Olympic trials, got candid in an interview. A sprinter as good as Lyles must have had a powerful mindset to keep him going, which is exactly what he addressed in the conversation.
Keeping a positive attitude and his passion for the sport alive allowed the 26-year-old to ace his sprints. He didn’t just run to win, but he ran because it satisfied his soul, thus rewarding him with something beyond tangible results. Always smiling and striving to do better with each run, Lyles’ fire fuels every aspiration he undertakes.
