Noah Lyles’s goal for the 2024 Olympics was a bit unrealistic: he aimed to claim four gold medals despite winning only one—barely. However, the reason for that single victory was something that would set him apart. Lyles explained, “Why four? Well… I can grab three, but Bolt has done that. I can do two Olympics in a row, but Bolt has done that too.” After taking home just one gold in the 100m, which crowned him the fastest man in that event, conversations shifted to his second race, i.e., in the 200m. To get the full picture, you need to know what happened in the 200m race.

On August 8th, Noah Lyles surprisingly finished third at Stade de France, missing out on the Olympic “sprint double.” Letsile Tebogo of Botswana took gold with a time of 19.46 seconds, and Lyles’ teammate Kenny Bednarek snagged silver at 19.62 seconds. Lyles crossed the line in 19.70 seconds and later revealed he had been battling COVID-19, which certainly added to the challenge! This was a hot topic on the YouTube channel “Ready Set Go,” where two legends discussed the MVPs of the Paris Olympics.

In their now-deleted YouTube episode, Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green weighed in on their picks for MVPs on September 26. For Rodney, it was clear that Tebogo deserved the top spot. After all, he made history by winning Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the 200m! But that wasn’t all—Tebogo also broke the 300m world record with a time of 30.69 seconds in Pretoria, South Africa, earlier this year.

Tebogo was also instrumental in Botswana’s success in the 4x400m relay, helping the team secure gold at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas and a silver medal at the Olympics. Gatlin acknowledged how tough it was to choose an MVP, saying, “The numbers are there. Tebogo started the season with a 300m world record, followed it up with the fastest 400m time at 44.2, and then dropped a hot 200m not long after that. He finished it all by running 9.8 in the 100m and winning the 200m gold. He definitely had an MVP-type season.”

While Rodney made a strong case for Tebogo, Gatlin chose to side with Noah Lyles, giving him a shout-out on his “clutch” performances—like that golden 100m victory in Paris. For Gatlin, MVP doesn’t even need a question of ‘Who?’ It’s Noah Lyles, through and through.

“I had to get my honorable mention; actually, it would go to Noah,” stated Gatlin with a certain conviction. Then Rodney chimed in, saying, “Clutch for me would go to Noah… not MVP, okay? Reason being, because he had a solid year, but it wasn’t as great as a Letsile Tebogo.”

Justin Gatlin clearly disagreed with Rodney Greene’s assessment of ‘no MVP,’ saying, “Noah was not favored for the 100 meters, and he stepped up to the plate, and he challenged everybody in the world and went out there and won the 100 meters. Very clutch. It’s very hard.” He went on to emphasize how challenging it was to win, especially with so many doubting him. Gatlin pointed out Thompson’s 9.77 in the semifinals, acknowledging the mental challenge Lyles faced.

“When you watch the fastest person on paper run and slow down before the line and still register 9.77, it must have been hard for Noah to take, but he pushed through.” With both Tebogo and Lyles making compelling cases for MVP, Gatlin’s internal debate over who truly deserves the title for 2024 highlights just how both athletes were this season. However, the Paris Olympics turned out to be full of struggles for Noah Lyles even in 100m too.

The narrowest of wins for Noah Lyles in the Paris Olympics

Noah Lyles had quite the rollercoaster ride at the Paris Olympics, and it certainly wasn’t easy for him. While he celebrated his gold medal in the men’s 100m sprint, the internet exploded with discussions about the razor-thin finish. Five thousandths of a second, this was the only difference between two medals, gold, and silver? A slow-motion replay showed Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson crossing the line with his white track shoe just milliseconds before Lyles.

What really set Lyles apart was his quick instinct to lean forward at the last moment, pushing his chest over the finish line. According to track and field rules, it’s all about which athlete’s torso crosses first, not their foot, and that made all the difference. Lyles finished with a time of 9.784 seconds, just ahead of Thompson at 9.789 seconds, with Kerley coming in third at 9.81 seconds.

After crossing the finish line, Lyles faced a nail-biting wait as officials reviewed the footage. The uncertainty of who had won must have been agonizing for him, especially knowing that every fraction of a second counts in such a high-stakes race. Ultimately, he was declared the winner, but that moment of doubt added pressure to an already intense situation.

Then came the 200m race, where Lyles fell short. To have achieved so much yet feel the sting of defeat in the very next event must have been heartbreaking for him. This juxtaposition of triumph and disappointment highlights just how hard it was for Lyles during these Olympics. Despite the challenges he faced, Lyles showed determination, reminding everyone that even the best athletes have to navigate the ups and downs of competition.