Why should it be? Why would a 100m Olympic champion race an NFL wide receiver in a 40m sprint? Noah Lyles certainly isn’t entertaining the idea. Speaking with People in February, Lyles made it clear he had no intention of racing Tyreek Hill over 40 meters. Still, he couldn’t resist taking a playful jab at the Miami Dolphins’ speedster.

Since last August, the two have exchanged words, with Hill eager to prove his dominance on the track. But Lyles has kept the banter alive, showing no interest in giving Hill an easy challenge. In his People interview, Lyles quipped, “I did that not to embarrass you.” But what about the much-anticipated race? Would it be the full 100 meters, where Lyles would have a clear advantage? “I mean, if it was 100 meters, it’d be a blowout, you know, we gotta meet in the middle,” Lyles said in the interview. Would a shorter distance level the playing field? The Olympic champion finally put the speculation to rest.

On March 7, host Tee shared a clip on her X handle featuring an unfiltered Lyles, ready to break the silence. And he did just that. “I noticed that we did a lot of articles, but they never told the distance. And it will be 60 meters,” Lyles revealed. With that announcement, fans finally got their answer. Sports journalist Joe Zochert captured the excitement on X, reposting Tee’s clip with the caption, “Excited to see this sports crossover, especially great for track and field.” If Tee’s reaction was any indication, Lyles’ confirmation was nothing short of breaking news. The stage is set. Now, all that’s left is for these two speed demons to settle the debate—on the track.

And in the past few days, that wasn’t the only breaking news from the reigning Olympic champion.

Noah Lyles also made headlines with his recent comments on the Grand Slam Track (GST) and the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships, commonly known as Champs. During the latest episode of Beyond The Records, the Florida native mistakenly claimed that tickets for Champs were free. However, the reality was quite different. Once he realized his mistake, Lyles quickly took to social media to apologize, acknowledging that he had shared “misleading information.” But his remarks on GST sparked an even bigger debate.

Lyles faced criticism for comparing GST to the Diamond League, a comparison that didn’t sit well with many in the track and field community. Throughout the podcast, he repeatedly returned to the topic, at one point stating, “You can’t really do that as efficiently with the Diamond Leagues as it stands right now, in my opinion, which is why I do like having a league that is all under one umbrella.” With that statement, the sprint sensation made his stance clear. But now, amid the ongoing debate, he has reignited excitement around his much-anticipated showdown with Tyreek Hill.

In that conversation, Lyles left no room for doubt—this race will be a true track and field showdown. “It will be a track race. There will be blocks, there will be reaction times, and there will be F.A.T. times,” he declared, his signature confidence on full display. And, of course, he didn’t hold back on the swagger. But beyond the playful jabs and competitive fire, the six-time world champion left fans with one final promise: “I hope you guys enjoy the season because I’m going to be making sure it’s going to be amazing.”

Then—fade to black. A mic-drop moment? A bold guarantee? One thing is for sure: track and field fans are already buzzing with anticipation.

Track and field fans are noticing Noah Lyles having an upper hand 

“Tyreek about to get washed.” One fan wrote on X. Sound familiar to “Tyreek could never”? If you know, you know—Noah Lyles himself dropped that line on February 2 after winning the men’s 60m indoor event at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix. Of course, the final result is yet to come, but track and field fans aren’t holding back. They want to see their reigning world champion dominate. But why isn’t this race set for 100 meters?

Fans are asking the same question. “Wished it was 100m,” one user commented. Another wrote, “It’s gonna be close in a 60. Lyles destroys him in 100.” The distance—40 or 60 meters—may not make much difference. From the start, Lyles has treated this race as a serious track battle, making it clear that his position as the top sprinter in the 100m isn’t something Hill can easily challenge. But some fans see it differently.

One comment read, “I wish they could’ve met somewhere in the middle tho… this is like an exhibition.” Noah Lyles, however, has confirmed that this will be a legitimate race. With Terry Crews hosting, the event is being treated with real seriousness. Fans can rest assured—it’s happening. And soon, the world will watch as speed meets speed.