The track and field season might have come to an end. But the thrills of the track still seem to be lingering. Anticipation has replaced the lingering feeling now that Netflix has released the trailer for the second season of the docuseries Sprint. The trailer is already sending netizens and enthusiasts into spirals of speculation. But why? It’s a trailer, after all, right?

Well, yes and no. It is a trailer, but a controversial one at that. The trailer features athletes like Julien Alfred, Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Fred Kerley, and Gabby Thomas, amongst others. During the two-minute-long trailer, Fred Kerley goes on to declare something about Noah Lyles. “Noah’s cocky, arrogant, and all that,” says Fred in the trailer. Those words seem especially harsh, considering that both the sprinters are compatriots pacing under the same flag.

But this rivalry is not one that was just born. Just a few months ago, at the Paris Olympics 100m finals, history rewrote its course. And Fred Kerley was one of the unfortunate casualties. The gun went off for the finals; the world saw Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, and Fred Kerley running almost at the same speed. But the cameras caught what the naked eye could not see. Lyles went on to clock 9.79 and win Gold. At the same time, Kerley clocked 9.81 and settled for a bronze medal. But why do these numbers matter?

Well, for starters, as season 1 of Sprint rightly puts it, “There is no crown heavier than the Olympic 100m Gold medal.” And such is the case of Fred Kerley and Noah Lyles. As the season ended, the World ranks for 100m came out. The feud of 100m got a whole lot more heated up. Noah Lyles was ranked #1, while Kerley was placed #3. And as Noah himself puts it in the trailer, “I am the fastest, and I got the medals to prove it.” If that wasn’t enough, Noah went on to add, “Everybody got a chance… to get second.” Now, that is the kind of banter that has kept the track and field community guessing and craving for more!

Lyles and Kerley have a rivalry that has been in the works since 2020. For example, in Season 1, you see Noah and Fred at a press conference. At the conference, Kerley goes on to say, “I’m Fred Kerley, and it’s my title.” Lyles quickly picked up the mic and responded, saying, “That’s what they all say until they get beat.” Well, what do you have to add now, Fred Kerley? Noah Lyles might have been termed “arrogant” and “cocky,” but he sure backs it up with speed on track. But since Paris, Fred Kerley hasn’t been the only one to call out Lyles’ antics.

Fred Kerley is not the only one to call out Noah Lyles!

The roars of attitude issues aren’t from one voice alone. Botswanian sprinter Letsile Tebogo has also taken shots at Noah Lyles after Paris. In a recent interview, Tebogo even went on to say, “I can’t be the face of athletics because I’m not an arrogant or a loud person like Noah.” The comments come off as rude, but Tebogo is not talking about arrogance without backing it up on track!

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lyles and Tebogo went head-to-head during the 200m final. The finals before Lyles was diagnosed with COVID. The race ended with Tebogo winning the Gold while Lyles won the Bronze. Now, yet again, these wins have switched up the World Rankings. At the end of 2023, Noah Lyles ranked #1 globally in the 200m, while Tebogo held the #3 spot. And since the tables have surely turned.

As of the end of the 2024 track season, Letsile Tebogo now stands at #1. While Noah Lyles currently ranks #5! Talk about a fall from grace. While the criticism and the numbers seem to stand on their own accord, backing what Tebogo said, Lyles gave us the defense in season 1 of Spring itself. The world has been critical of Noah’s antics for a long time. So why doesn’t Noah stop?

As Noah himself puts it, “It takes a different mindset to be a track athlete. If you don’t have main character energy, track and field ain’t for you.” Noah goes on to remind the world that the persona and mindset matter just as much as the speed an athlete has on track. The countdown to Sprint Part 2 has already begun, and the season seems promising with speed, drama, and a side of banter!