For Noah Lyles, faith doesn’t fit within four walls. The man who captivated the world with his performances at the Paris Olympics is no stranger to challenges. From edging out his competitors in photo finishes to letting his confidence speak for itself, Lyles has already shown that he nurtures an unwavering faith in himself. However, in addition to savoring victories, the 26-year-old sprinter has also battled personal demons to reach the finish line. While he was busy making history, he admitted that he didn’t have much time to visit church.

When Lyles leaned across the finish line, defeating Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by a mere five-thousandths of a second, the world witnessed an athlete at the pinnacle of his craft. But neither the world nor the champion knew that fate was about to intervene. Just days before his favored 200-meter event, Noah Lyles tested positive for COVID-19—a gut punch to his dream of winning four gold medals. Yet, this wasn’t the first time life had thrown him a curveball. Lyles’s journey since childhood has been anything but smooth, marked by struggles with asthma and ADHD. Beyond these physical challenges, Lyles also revealed how growing up in a rigidly controlled religious environment affected his upbringing.

In a recent interview with Ben Gallaga, Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles reflected on his childhood and upbringing in a society where a cult-like church governed every aspect of life. Lyles unabashedly stated, “I actually grew up in a cult. It was super strict. All the moms had to be, you know, homeschooling their kids, and the father was the head of the household. The church told you who you could date, who you couldn’t date, if you got married, it had to be through us, that type of behavior.” The Florida native’s family also shifted to North Carolina, but the practice and role of the church did not change much. And eventually, this also impacted his views on organized religion besides leaving a lasting impact on his relationship with faith in God.

Lyles further added the disillusionment he and his family had to face with the church. Recalling his childhood memories, Lyles said, “We left, and that’s why we moved to North Carolina because we were going to start another church, only to figure out they wanted to do the same thing, except they wanted to be the head instead of dot the tail.” He further continued, “So we left that, but that kind of really messed up my view in church, and it definitely messed up my mom’s view.” However, despite everything, Lyles chose to redefine his trust and faith in his religion and God on his own terms.

Although Noah Lyles decided not to have faith in the controlled preachings and the church dictating lives, he held onto a personal connection with God. And as he reflects upon the same, he also reveals that his bond with God transcends the need for regular church attendance. Speaking about his mom’s view on this, Lyles mentioned, “Even now she still struggles to trust churches in general, but she never lost her faith in the religion.” And for Noah Lyles, his words reflect that running isn’t just a sport but a spiritual journey—a manifestation of the strength and belief that have guided him through every race and every obstacle. “It’s a relationship between you and God, and what you guys make of that, and that’s how I view it, because I don’t have time to go to church every weekend. I gotta run,” added Lyles.

Noah Lyles triumphed over bullying and adversity to claim podium place in 2024 Paris Olympics

In the same interview, Lyles also reflected on another painful part of his young days while talking about his confidence on the tracks. “I have (an) extremely strong ambition to be the best at anything I touch”,  said Lyles but also added that such a determined outlook roots back to the hardships he fought against continuously. It didn’t happen overnight… I was bullied through middle school. My trust in myself and my belief in myself was very low,” added Lyles revealing the unfiltered truth. While he was made to believe that he was nothing by the bullies and he fought against physical setbacks, his mind never gave up as he knew his worth. And that was how Lyles decided to better himself not just as an athlete, but as a strong personality. 

Overcoming all the setbacks, backlashes, negativities, and flaws, Lyles secured the crown in the 100-meter final race in the 2024 Summer Olympics. As Lyles continues to chase greatness on the track, his story reminds us that faith is not always confined to a building or a weekly ritual. It’s a deeply personal journey of overcoming obstacles and shining bright. A quest that can thrive even amidst the pressures of a world that demands everything from a champion is what Lyles emerged victorious in.