Every Olympic Games, professional athletes who were previously unknown become household names in an instant. Usually, they need to take home medals. In other cases, their individualities are sufficient to create their own fan bases. Noah Lyles is hoping for recognition for both going into the Olympics in Paris this summer.
Lyles might not be well-known to those who do not watch track and field, but his name might soon become unavoidable. He is already received more attention thanks to the new Netflix documentary Sprint, which is centered around the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. The six-part documentary covers the top performers in track and field in the 100- and 200-meter sprints, including the fastest woman on Earth, Sha’Carri Richardson, Jamaican gold medallist Shericka Jackson, and British record holder Zharnel Hughes. Despite this star power, Lyles has been the main draw of the series; his goal to surpass retired icon Usain Bolt has caused some controversy.
Many of the soundbites that Lyles used in Sprint have come across as haughty by viewers. He claims in one scene that “you have to have the mindset of a God” in order to be a good athlete. In another, he declares, “I firmly think that this moment was meant for me and is not bigger than me.” In contrast, consider Shericka Jackson’s mindset. She declined to respond when questioned off-camera about assertions that she is the greatest in the sport. Others, however, are perplexed by Lyles’s assertion that he is “the fastest man in the world” when Bolt is still alive. Nevertheless, his bluster, sense of style, and love of trash talk have given Americans someone to root for at the next Olympics, much like Richardson did.
Lyles is currently the fastest man in the world, having won the sprint double (the 100 and 200 meters) at the World Championships the previous year. (He finished the 200 meters in 19.52 seconds and the 100 in 9.83 seconds.) He has won six world titles in total. In the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, he also won the bronze medal in the 200 meters. Despite this unsatisfactory outcome, he claims it motivated him to aim further for this year’s competition. He intends to win four gold medals in addition to breaking Bolt’s records.
It is anyone’s guess as to whether he can truly pull this off. In any case, it appears that he will go from this year’s Olympics having fulfilled another professional ambition, namely, being the talk of the town.
Although Lyles has his detractors, this is all a part of his mythology.
Sprinters are not precisely the first athletes that come to mind when we think about famous athletes whose fame transcends their sport. Even though Bolt has nearly become associated with running, it is reasonable to argue that the sport does not provide sportsmen with the same degree of exposure that, say, the NBA does for even its most modest players. For example, Richardson’s present status as a cherished underdog and national talking point came about as a result of a drug test scandal in which she tested positive for marijuana rather than performance-enhancing substances, and her consequent suspension from the Tokyo Olympics.
Lyles desires a change in this. In the opening segment of Sprint, he remarks, “You have all these other sportsmen as stars, rockstars, popular wherever they go.” “Field and track should be equivalent.”
The 26-year-old has undoubtedly contributed to raising awareness of the sport—or perhaps just of himself. Even though Richardson, with her frequently flame-colored hair, multiple tattoos, and Flo Jo-esque acrylics, may have the most eye-catching track and field look right now, he regularly attends meets dressed like one of the few NBA players or F1 champion Lewis Hamilton. In keeping with Florence Griffith Joyner, the epitome of the 1980s, he even likes a showy manicure. In addition, his achievements have landed him several magazine covers (most recently Time) and an incredibly lucrative track star contract with Adidas.
He produces the same stylish, top-notch content on social media as a well-known influencer. (He calls himself a “creative director” in Sprint.) You can find just as much track-related stuff on his over one million-follower Instagram account (@nojo18) as you can high-resolution pictures of his pre-meet outfits, postings including Snoop Dogg, and fashion choices influenced by his favorite anime. In addition, he shares lighthearted videos of himself and his girlfriend, fellow runner Junelle Bromfield, who gives off the impression of being a power couple.
However, Lyles has already offended a few sports fans on his path to becoming the most adored track athlete in America. He questioned the designation of NBA Finals winners as “world champions” in an interview that followed his World Championship victories the previous year. At a press conference after the meeting, he questioned, “World champions of what?””The US?” NBA players quickly responded with a barrage, including Devin Booker, Aaron Gordon, and Kevin Durant, criticizing his remarks. Drake, a Toronto Raptors fan, even added his own commentary, making fun of Lyles. Others, such as Ghanaian sportswriter Gary Al-Smith, claimed Lyles was only highlighting a bigger issue with basketball’s American exceptionalism.
Paradoxically, Lyles has come under fire for allegedly adopting a similar superior, culturally American mindset in his own sport. In the fourth episode of Sprint, Lyles talked about the criticism he faced after sharing on Instagram his estimated times for the 100 and 200 meters at the previous year’s World Championships, which he eventually missed even though he won the gold. Speaking in an interview like a talking head, he asks, “What the heck does me saying my aim have to do with you?” It is a fair question, given that, whether or not they express it as strongly as Lyles does, every athlete wants to give their all and kill their rivals. Richardson has been perplexed by the unfavorable reactions of fans to this kind of behavior as well. In the documentary, Richardson suggests that there ought to be “more trash-talking” in sports.
The intense rivalry between American and Jamaican sprinters, which grew at the 2008 Beijing Olympics when Bolt won the gold in the 100 and 200 meters while setting records in both events, at least partially explains this unfavorable response on the internet. Additionally, Jamaican track sensations Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly Ann-Frazer won the 200 and 100 meters, respectively. In Jamaica, where track and field is the most popular sport, Bolt has, more than any other athlete, emerged as an iconic figure and national emblem. As Lyles has already done, announcing your intentions to remove him from office naturally has certain consequences.
With the Olympics in Paris, all eyes are on Lyles.
Given that the United States currently holds the records for both the fastest man and woman in the world, it is reasonable to think that this year’s events will draw even more American viewers, as Lyles’s reputation is very much on the line.
For the runner historically, the Olympics have been dangerous ground. Fans saw in 2020 the emotional toll that Lyles’ preparation for and participation in the Olympics had taken on him, as well as how he responds to setbacks. In a post-meet interview with the Washington Post, Lyles broke down after finishing third in the 200 meters in Tokyo. Talking about his brother, professional sprinter Josephus Lyles, who missed out on qualifying for the Olympics that year, brought tears to his eyes. He talked about his experience marching with his brother in the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations, his mental health, his journey with antidepressants leading up to the Olympics, and the pressure he feels as a Black American man and athlete.
He said, “I knew there were a lot of individuals out there who were terrified, just like me, to say something or go on that trip.” “I wanted them to know that even if you folks may view me negatively, you can go talk to someone and it is acceptable to not feel good. This is a significant problem.
Photographed from below, Noah Lyles is standing next to a model of the Eiffel tower. He is wearing a red track suit and has a gold medal around his neck.
On June 23, 2024, in Eugene, Oregon, during the third day of the 2024 US Olympic Team trials Track & Field at Hayward Field, Noah Lyles celebrates with the gold medal. Patrick Smith via Getty Images
After winning both races at the World Championships, Lyles is now exhibiting greater confidence than before. Lyles recently used an appearance on The Tonight Show to share with the nation his goals for his time in Paris. He hopes to beat Bolt, who now owns the top two times in the 100-meter dash (9.63 and 9.69 seconds), for starters. However, he also hopes to win four gold medals. Lyles informed Fallon, “It is not just good enough to be faster than that.” “The medals that go with it must also be there.”
Lyles hopes to win the 4 × 100 and 4 x 400 meter relays in addition to winning the gold in the 100 and 200 meter races. An American sprinter winning four gold medals in one Olympics would not be the first. For example, Carl Lewis, Alvin Kraenzlein, and Jesse Owens have all won four. But Lyles would be creating history for those four sprints; they also won the long jump. The vibe around him and Richardson feels like a new era for American track athletes, one characterized by attitude and swagger, regardless of any potential medals. Lyles will have at least half of his aims accomplished if he can make an impression on everyone with his personality.
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