You could feel the excitement buzzing through the air as Alexandria welcomed back its hometown hero, Noah Lyles! With over a thousand fans filling Alexandria City High School, the atmosphere was electric as everyone celebrated the Olympic gold medalist’s return. It was a joyous occasion, but Noah felt the absence of his former coach, who played a huge role in his success.

This summer, Noah Lyles made waves by snagging gold in the 100-meter at the Paris Olympics, officially becoming the fastest man in the world! Today, he was treated to a grand parade around Chinquapin Circle, and the community showed up in full force to cheer on their hometown hero. Fans lined the circle, all buzzing with excitement as Noah’s car made its way through the crowd, and the roar of the fans was absolutely electric!

Overwhelmed by the love and support, Noah took to Instagram on September 20th to express his gratitude, writing, “Thank you so much @alexandriavagov! I know this was last minute, but it meant a lot that so many of you came out today!” He beautifully captured the moment, reflecting on the memories it stirred, and added, “I can’t thank you all enough for also giving us time to honor my coach, Rashawn Jackson. RIP.”

This isn’t the first time Noah Lyles has felt the absence of his beloved coach, Rashawn Jackson. After his thrilling gold medal win in Paris, where the American sprinter snatched victory from Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by just 0.005 seconds, the emotions were palpable. In an interview following the race, Lyles made sure to pay tribute to Jackson, who passed away earlier this summer.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Noah Lyles opened up about how much his coach, Rashawn Jackson, influenced his journey. “I was like, ‘This one is for you, man,’” he said, clearly excited to honor Jackson’s legacy. “I lost my high school coach right after the Olympic trials, and that was such a big moment for me. This was our dream that we built together.”

When Lyles reflected on the past, he recalled a conversation where Jackson encouraged him to excel in both 100-meter and 200-meter races. During that period in his life, he had doubts about it. As time went on, he managed to validate his beliefs whenever he competed on the track. However, following Jackson’s death, Lyles was emotionally shattered.

Coach Rashawn Jackson’s lasting impact on Noah Lyles

Jackson played a huge role in shaping Noah Lyles into the sprinter he has become today. He was the one who mentored him during his time at Alexandria City High School. Unfortunately, he passed away this year in July, just before the Noah Lyles showdown in the Paris Olympics. But it was something that remained in Lyles’s heart, so at that time he honored him by praising him on social media. Lyles shared, “It’s an amazing moment, I don’t think it’s completely sunk in, to be honest.”

But even after the Paris Olympics victory, Lyles couldn’t hold back tears, admitting, “I thought he was going to be here to see it, I’m going to be honest.” He further added, “Hey coach, we did it. We reached the top! I always thought you would be here to see me reach the peak. I guess you’ll have to know you’re watching from heaven… I love you, man. RIP.”

Lyles has always praised him, as he was looking out for his well-being and offering the direction that influenced his journey positively. One of his victories to remember is back in 2015—a 200-meter race completed in 22.83 seconds, where he set a record at the competition. But for that, credit goes to Jackson.

During the Pan American Junior Championships held in Edmonton, Lyles secured a gold medal in the 200-meter event and took home the silver in the 100-meter race. Jackson clearly had an impact on Lyles’s life beyond his accomplishments. He also played a crucial role in his personal growth and development overall.