Before the Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles promised he’d break Usain Bolt’s records. He didn’t quite do that, but he still came out on top with gold in the 100m and a bronze in the 200m—despite battling a COVID-19 setback. Even with all that, Lyles ran a personal best of 9.79 seconds in the 100m, which ties him for the 12th-fastest time ever. Following his victory he declared his status as the fastest athlete in the world. After that when he was asked how long it would take someone to break Bolt’s record, “I’m trying to get it done as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I don’t have a crystal ball, so I can’t give you an exact date,” Lyles said. But wait!! It seems Lyles has other goals too!

For Noah Lyles, it’s no longer just about breaking records. While he’s often seen as loud and confident, he argues it’s all about making a point, and there’s nothing wrong with that. His focus has shifted to something bigger: “Transcending the sport.” His athletic speed transcends typical fast running because he intends to restructure the public perception of track and field sports. Before the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, he used a pre-competition conference to silence his challengers as he displayed his new approach.

“For a long time, it was to prove, I am the world’s fastest man. I knew that eventually I would achieve that goal. Now I am moving on to my second goal, which is: Transcending the sport,” Lyles explained. “I have my own concepts and beliefs on how to make that happen. There are a lot of organizations that don’t believe that my thoughts are the way to go about it.”

So it becomes evident that Lyles competes to transform athletics not only by winning competitions but also by reshaping athletic competitions. After showing his potential for 60m running last year the athlete Lyles now competes in 100m and 200m distances. Can he improve his performance next after his not-so-good first event of this season?

Lyles takes a leading role among all competitors participating in the 60-meter men’s event where Jacobs joins along with Hughes and Bromell as other major contestants. Everyone was focused on Lyles’s performance in this event. Lyles enters this race with a confident demeanor because he previously won this exact competition last year by a 6.44 finish. But it won’t be easy for him this time!

Noah Lyles set to defend title at New Balance Indoor Grand Prix amid rising competition

Lyles is now looking to defend his title against Jacobs, the 2020 Olympic 100-meter champ, and Bromell, who has got some serious speed despite a rocky few years. Bromell’s best is 6.42 for 60 meters, and he kicked off 2025 with a 6.62 in Lubbock, so he’s definitely in the conversation. Plus, a couple of athletes, Australia’s Lachlan Kennedy and Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson have already broken the 6.50 mark this season, so Lyles has his work cut out for him.

Noah Lyles is in the prime of his career at 27, and while he’s known for taking a little while to find his rhythm, he’s been looking solid lately. After running a 6.43 last indoor season and racking up three wins at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, Lyles kicked off his 2025 season with a 6.62 in Florida. While it was a good result, it wasn’t his best, and with the competition heating up, he knows he has more in him. Especially after Kishane Thompson’s impressive season opener, where he ran 6.48 in Jamaica, Lyles is feeling the heat. This race in Boston is crucial for him to make a statement.

Thompson’s 6.48-second run in Spanish Town turned heads, leaving Lyles trailing by 0.14 seconds. In the world of track and field, that’s a noticeable gap, and fans were quick to jump on Lyles, with some even questioning if he “deserved” his Olympic gold. The memory of their dramatic 100-meter final in Paris, where only five-thousandths of a second separated Lyles from Thompson, is still fresh in people’s minds. But Lyles is all about letting his performance speak for itself. This race in Boston is the Florida native’s chance to prove his mettle. Is Noah Lyles the fastest man on track as he claims to be? Well, we will be watching for ourselves!