The light at the end of the tunnel has finally come into sight! Ever since its grand premiere on the 2nd of July, Netflix’s SPRINT docuseries had been dodging fiery reactions from its viewers. Some resented its dry narrative style, while others criticized it for going heavily Noah Lyles-centric, almost to the brink of his confidence in the series coming off as smug and unlikeable to a few fans. Thus, instead of whetting the enthusiasm in the Olympics month, the reactions made it seem that the star-studded series was actually dampening it. The popular question is: does SPRINT overpromise and under-deliver?

Well, the truth is finally out. Everyone knows that figures reign supreme in the world of celluloid, and SPRINT has recently registered a mighty numerical win. How big are we talking? Let’s just say possibly enough to put an end to the naysayers.

Sprint’s viewership extinguishes the backlash fire

The negative tags associated with the show seem to have burst out into flames with a single Instagram post. On 11th July, World Athletics and Box to Box films collectively publicized that “SPRINT amassed 2.4 million views in its first week on @netflix 🙌.” Peaking across continents, it has become the “6th most-watched Netflix show worldwide 🌍” and is in the top 10 in TV in 32 countries. Evidently, track and field buffs worldwide are tuning in for a dose of undocumented BTS of their favorite track stars.

But before this stratospheric success, SPRINT’s climb on the charts was off to a shaky start. 2023 world champion Fred Kerley was one of the first to voice his resentment, saying, “That show is not about sprinting.” He continued to diss it by writing, “That is basically a YouTube doc.” 

Until former Olympic champion Bianca Knight arrived with a more technical review. She wrote, “Watching “Sprint”. 3 episodes in and I dont know… the way it’s cut, it’s still not providing enough info for a person unfamiliar with this sport itself.” Not a fan of its ‘raw’ coverage or exclusivity either, she opined that the information included was already accessible via their social media portals.

As for Noah Lyles, a few of his comments appeared to have attracted some unsettling reactions. In the series, he was seen citing statements like, “I say I’m going to run 9.65 and 19.10. The amount of hate was astronomical. What the heck does me saying my goal have to do with you?”  Or that “If people think I’m corny I’m still getting the medals.” Some saw it as his unflinching confidence, while a few fans were displeased with his attitude. 

Nonetheless, the viewership figures are top-tier. They suggest the presence of an amount of relatability and x-factor, as the fans all over the globe are watching the show in large numbers. But, amidst this roaring success, the featured athletes have also experienced a significant personal win. Care to know what it is?

Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri and others get a social media boost

SPRINT has certainly aced the ranking game. While this is already ecstatic news for the athletes, who doesn’t love a little red cherry on top? And that for them is the increase in their individual social media following. Just days before their Paris Olympics stints, their enhanced digital presence might give a perfect boost to their spirits.

As documented by Owens in a tweet on X, Sha’Carri Richardson apparently gained the most, 87,731 followers. While Noah Lyles was a close second with a 76,682 additional spectators to his pro-active social media endeavors. Gabby Thomas too seemed to have recorded a growth in her following by 38,383.

These victories indicate the impact that these strong figures have on their audiences. Swaying them away with not only their lightning sprints but also their radiant personalities. What do you think of SPRINTS rankings?