While it is next to impossible to replicate the track and field miracle that is Usain Bolt, the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games champion Noah Lyles comes close. Lyles smashed through the barrier of greatness after he became the youngest male sprinter to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials in more than 30 years. The 25-year-old, who is chasing Bolt’s 200m world record, made waves during the NYC Grand Prix as well.

However, his performance at the NYC Grand Prix was shadowed by looming bad news. After giving a stellar sub-20 run, Noah Lyles found out he had contracted the dreaded COVID-19 virus. As a result, he had to forgo training before the USATF Outdoors. Though he got a clean chit and was able to participate in the event, Noah Lyles has now withdrawn from an upcoming race, considered to be Usain Bolt’s favorite.

Noah Lyles will not be participating in the Silesia Diamond League

The news was broken by Track Gazette on Twitter. The Diamond League is set to take place as a part of the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial in Selesia, Poland on July 16. According to the announcement, Noah Lyles is not going to be a part of the event, on account of his withdrawal from the same.

Earlier, the men’s 200m champion, Lyles was expected to participate in the 100m race to be held during the vent. No reason for Lyle’s withdrawal was mentioned in the source. Nonetheless, Noah Lyle’s performance at the 100m in the USATF Outdoors was an exemplary one. Despite not being able to train due to his illness, Lyles clocked in a time of 10.05 seconds during the preliminary round of the 100m race, which was the sixth-fastest overall.

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According to the official Olympics website, Lyles told reporters, “I’ve been sick since [the] New York [Grand Prix], I actually got COVID. I didn’t get cleared until Sunday and flew out Monday, so it’s been a wild week, a very wild week.” Despite the adversity, through his performance in New York, Lyles was tied with Usain Bolt for the most sub-20 second times in a wind-legal 200m race—34 times in total.

How the 200m champion wishes to change track and field

There is no doubt that we have not seen the last of Noah Lyles. He is going to run past various records, get many more medals and trophies. However, surprisingly, that has never been his end goal when it comes to the sport of track and field. He told Olympics.com, “My goal wasn’t to be a world record holder, grab as many World Championships or Olympic medals… my goal was to transcend the sport and take it to a place that it’s never been, that it’s never seen.”

The 25-year-old has dreams of changing the very face of racing events. The constant sneak peeks of his mentality, his training, and the snippets of his life on social media are proof that he will get where he wants to be. Noah Lyles might not be attending the Silesia Diamond League, but with the kind of speed and endurance he has been demonstrating, it won’t be long before he fulfills his dream of sprinting past Usain Bolt’s 19.19 200m world record.

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