Noah Lyles aims to star in the Olympics and elevate track and field

PARIS (AP) — Winner. Entertainer. History maker.

By the time the Paris Olympics conclude, Noah Lyles hopes to embody all of these traits and more. The confident 26-year-old sprinter’s ambitions extend beyond winning medals and breaking records; he aspires to elevate the sport of track and field in the United States, making it a mainstay on American screens beyond the quadrennial Olympic spotlight.

These goals are nothing short of audacious. Success in the 100 and 200 meters, along with potential relays, would place Lyles in rarefied air alongside legends like Usain Bolt, Carl Lewis, and Michael Johnson. Yet, making track popular again is a more complex mission, one that Lyles faces head-on without fear.

“I want everyone to see the stories we create, the moments we share, and the major events we hold,” Lyles said. “Winning alone doesn’t ensure an audience. We need compelling personalities to showcase this.”

Lyles has a dual strategy: dominating the sprints and becoming a must-see personality transcending track, much like Bolt did.

Over the past year, Lyles has been setting the stage for his second goal by inviting cameras into his life. His first documentary, “Untitled: The Noah Lyles Project,” premiered last year. More recently, he featured prominently in “SPRINT,” a Netflix production spotlighting Olympians including Sha’Carri Richardson and top Jamaican female sprinters.

Outside the TV screen, Lyles curates his appearance for maximum impact. He has turned his “walk-in” to meets into an event, arriving in various eye-catching outfits ranging from a green sweater with church-window-shaped cut-outs to black leather pants, and even a tailored navy suit with signature Adidas stripes he sported during the U.S. Olympic trials.

At the trials, Lyles was welcomed by Snoop Dogg, who carried a briefcase that, when opened, revealed Lyles’ track kit for the 100-meter final.

“It’s about maintaining hype,” Lyles explained. “If you generate curiosity and excitement, people want to know ‘What’s in the briefcase?’”

The challenge of getting others to follow his lead in a sport dominated by individualists is just part of Lyles’ mission. His ambition was vividly illustrated last year when, after completing the 100-200 double at world championships, he made a pointed comparison between track and the NBA.

“What hurts me the most is watching the NBA finals with ‘World Champion’ on their head,” Lyles said. “World champion of what? The United States?”

The comment went viral and sparked social media debate. The fact that his NBA comparison garnered more attention than his track accomplishments pointed to track’s lower position in the global sports hierarchy.

According to World Athletics, track ranks as the eighth most popular sport in the United States. The sport’s leaders aim to boost its popularity before the Olympics head to Los Angeles in 2028. Is it too much to ask one man to spearhead this resurgence?

“It’s impressive to see Noah put himself out there, understanding that fan engagement is key,” said Michael Johnson, the four-time Olympic gold medalist who is also starting a new track league to attract more attention and funding to the sport.

It seems fitting that Johnson and Lyles share a common goal in revitalizing track.

Two years ago at the world championships in Eugene, Oregon, Johnson held Lyles’ hand aloft after Lyles broke Johnson’s 26-year-old American record in the 200 meters by running 19.31 seconds.

This symbolic moment marked Lyles’ return to form and hinted at the possibility of breaking Bolt’s world record of 19.19 seconds.

In 2021, during the pandemic, Lyles struggled with depression that affected his performance in Tokyo, where he finished third in front of almost empty stands, devoid of his family’s presence. Since then, he has not lost a 200-meter race.

Lyles has been candid about his mental-health battles. Earlier this summer, when asked what has propelled him, he said: “The main thing is, I’m not depressed.”

“He has done a lot of work, anything he thought would help,” said his mom, Keisha Caine Bishop. “He has three therapists—a sports psychologist, a family therapist, and a trauma therapist. He’s working on both the mental and physical aspects the best he can.”

This renewed energy also opened another opportunity—the 100 meters, a distance he never favored. Starting in 2023, he focused on improving his start and first 60 meters, aiming to become a champion in the shorter sprint.

When he succeeded at the world championships in Budapest, he shouted into the TV camera, “They said it couldn’t be done. They said I wasn’t the one. But thank God I am!”

Lyles calls the 200 meters “my wife” and the 100 meters “my mistress.” He became a national champion in both events earlier this summer at Olympic trials. Despite his victories, he is not the favorite for the 100 meters in Paris.

The betting favorite in the 100 meters is Kishane Thompson, a 23-year-old Jamaican who clocked 9.77 seconds this year, the fastest time by .04 seconds over Lyles’ best. Thompson, however, lacks big-stage experience, which Lyles has in spades.

This sets the stage for the kind of drama that encapsulates the appeal Lyles is striving for.

“I think Noah is already the ‘next big thing’,” said Ato Boldon, the four-time Olympic medalist and track analyst for NBC.

Will he be big enough to elevate the entire sport? As always in track, only time will tell.

Source: Associated Press