Fred Kerley has been in red-hot form in recent times. Both on the tracks and also off it! One of the biggest highlights with Kerley has been his controversial statements against his very own USA teammate, Noah Lyles. Speaking on The Pivot Podcast, Kerley opined that he was a better sprinter than Lyles was. Claiming that Lyles was ‘not on his level,’ Kerley opened up Pandora’s box. Now then, if you thought that Kerley is all talk, then think again. After a rough start to 2025 (hello, legal trouble), with sponsorships in a dire state, the Olympic medalist showed that he still has the fire in him.

Fred Kerley just outran Noah Lyles in 400m. The two Olympians ran the 400m on the same day, albeit in different venues. While Lyles clocked 45.87s at the Tom Jones Invitational, Kerley dropped a time of 44.73s at the Mt. SAC relays. The impact of this performance was so expansive that even US track legend Justin Gatlin gave Kerley his flowers. Fueled by this stellar win, Kerley has a 5-word message for his opponents. 

In a recently uploaded video on Instagram, Kerley compiled his wins all in one. As the video showed the electric speed of Kerley, it also came with a message. The caption to the video read, “track ain’t safe no more.” Surely, this was the second bold announcement that the US track star made this month. However, the caption also came with yet another major update. Kerley stated that he was now declared fully fit by his doctor.

“Doc cleared me of my ribs injury and left side of my brain injury,” wrote Kerley. Well, for the ones wondering what injury he is talking about, here’s some context. Back on January 3, 2025, Kerley was arrested by the police in Miami, Florida. Accused of disorderly conduct, the Olympic bronze medalist stated that he never knew why he was detained. Kerley was also charged with battery and resisting arrest. During the physical confrontation with the officers, Kerley was stun-gunned and in the process, injured his brain and ribs on the left side. Now having gotten an all-clear certificate, Kerley is raring to go. Meanwhile, reacting to the bombshell accusations, Noah Lyles had an interesting take on the entire fiasco.

Noah Lyles shuts down Fred Kerley’s smack talk with one powerful line

Noah Lyles had a clear, calm, and confident response to Fred Kerley’s smack talk. He simply stated, “I’m perfectly fine with that, ’cause I got gold.” The Olympic 100m champion’s reply left little room for doubt, as he brushed off Fred’s claims that he was “not on my level.” Despite Kerley’s bold words on a recent podcast, Lyles stands firm in his achievements, with the weight of an Olympic gold medal behind him.

While Kerley suggested that he had more accolades and hinted at differences in their upbringings, Noah countered by acknowledging their contrasting experiences. “Just as much as he never was staying up in the hospital every night with asthma, wondering if he’s going to be breathing the next morning,” Lyles remarked, emphasizing that their paths have shaped them differently.

The underlying message? Both sprinters have their own battles and triumphs. Lyles, with the Olympic gold in hand, is fully at peace with his journey and how it compares to Kerley’s. While Fred may focus on past wins and personal struggles, Lyles remains focused on what truly matters in track and field – the Olympic gold.