Winning an Olympic gold medal sounds like a dream to most elite athletes. Eyeing the ultimate prize, athletes spend their lifetime shedding every drop of their sweat to attain their goal. But what exactly happens when they achieve their Olympic dream? Well, things can often go haywire since it’s considered the end goal. Legendary names like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps have fallen into the void of “what’s next?” after winning an Olympic gold. Thankfully, the hero for this article, a 32-year-old US professional track and field athlete, seems to have found the master key to unlock the Olympic void. 

Well, the athlete we are talking about is none other than Vernon Norwood. Specializing in the 400m category, Norwood has been one of the biggest stars of America. And come the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, Norwood did achieve his lifelong goal of winning an Olympic gold. Competing in the 4×400 relay, the 32-year-old emerged victorious.

Surprisingly, Norwood did not become the victim of the dreadful void. Instead, he gained in stature and upped his game significantly. This was evident as Norwood doubled his gold medal tally at the Paris Olympics 2024. And once again, as the Olympics are now a distant memory, Norwood does seem to be experiencing the ‘Olympic Blues.’ 

So how did he do it? Well, to find the answer to the query, Noah Lyles sat down with Norwood in a March 5, 2025, episode of Beyond The Record podcast.

Curious to know the secret, Lyles stressed the concept of ‘Olympic Blues’ saying, “You said Olympic blues and to a lot of people they might not understand what that is but you know postpartum Olympics you know gold medal depression you know this stuff is real.”

As Lyles came up with the obvious question, the 32-year-old had quite a long tale to tell. The very first thing Norwood pointed to was his faith in God. He mentioned how he prayed to the Almighty. So did his mother and other family members. These prayers played a significant role in protecting him and keeping him grounded. 

“I stay grounded in my bubble like whereas when I’m home you know I’m always reminded and humble of what I want to do and where I come from,” said Norwood. He also stressed the mental focus of an athlete. Norwood stated he understands things might not go the same every time. There will be ups and downs in life.

Thus, right after winning an Olympic gold, he prefers not to get too enthusiastic about it. Because, as soon as the moment of triumph goes, it’s square one!

Likewise, Norwood emphasized the importance of humility. One needs to understand how certain situations impact oneself. The moment he sensed he got caught in the bushes, the 32-year-old resorted to praying. To sum it up, Vernon Norwood wants to keep it simple and continues the hard work on a loop.

Meanwhile, in the same podcast, Norwood discussed an interesting take on Noah Lyles’s track future. He even delivered a harsh reality check to the Olympic gold medalist. 

Vernon Norwood gives a reality check to Noah Lyles

Noah Lyles has already proven his worth in the 100m and 200m categories. While he won the Olympic gold medal in 100m, Lyles missed the 200m because of his COVID infection. Further in his career, Lyles is trying to venture into different territories. In the same episode of Beyond The Records podcast, Vernon Norwood proposed an interesting idea for Lyles.

Norwood said, “I want to see you do a 400 one day!” 

Lyles quickly responded, “It will come one day.”

Now then, this is sure to rile things up significantly. Hearing this, Norwood became excited, suggesting Lyles to give it a try at the USA’s. However, at this moment, Vernon Norwood dropped a reality check on Lyles. He immediately stated that if Lyles manages to make it to the US National relay team, he must give it all and prove himself by winning. 

This is because, once they announce Lyles to the team, he will undoubtedly encounter significant criticism from the community. They might probably accuse Lyles of using politics to get onto the team. This seemed to be a legitimate concern, and Lyles, too, agreed to the same.

Thus, with a lot going on within the US track and field, it remains to be seen how things take shape in the coming future. Do you think Lyles should run the 400?