Countdown to Paris: Noah Lyles Marks His Journey From Losing at Tokyo Olympics to Making World Record

Noah Lyles could not achieve it in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Despite putting in all his efforts, he stopped short of the gold medal on that occasion and had to be content with a bronze. Now one more Olympic occasion is just 100 days away and Lyles of 2020 has seen a lot in between. He has tasted success in almost every arena and now can confidently claim to touch the coveted results of all time. The most cherished among them is surely the Olympic win for any athlete and Lyles is not an exception. Therefore he roared once again on his Instagram handle.

The latest post from Lyles features a clip that starts with showcasing the moment he lost his gold medal in the 200m dash in the Tokyo Olympics to Andre De Grasse. His voice in the background expressed the disappointment. “At that point, I was just…broken. Here was the moment that I dreamt for about six years…seven years…,” Noah was heard saying after “not getting the medal that you felt you deserved.” Then comes the transformation.

From there, the clip goes on to show the moments of glory he has accumulated through these four years. Most prominent among them was the moment when he set a new American record in 200m (19.31) at the World Athletics Championships 2022. But the catch is the caption of the post. The cryptic message reads, “This ain’t 2021 this is 2024! 100 Days out.” The indication is not difficult to understand for any track and field enthusiast. It seems to be a reminder to the world that Lyles is coming after everything this season (read Olympics) as he has claimed earlier. The clip ends with Noah declaring himself the “new beast”. That he is!

Riding on his performance in the 2022 WAC, he was declared the third fastest man on the world all-time list in 200m. Adding to this, in the 2023 World Championship, he became the first man after Usain Bolt (2015), to complete the sprint triple in the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 × 100 m events at a World Championship. His winning run is continuing in the recently started 2024 outdoor season as well.

Winning start to the Olympic season but where is the dominance?

The Tom Jones Memorial Invitational was lately held in Gainesville, Florida on the 13th of April, where Noah Lyles etched the 10.01s time stamp in the 100m, a little ahead of the 200m Olympic silver medalist, Kenny Bednarek. Running in the city of his birth, the meet featured the 26-year-old Lyles crossing the finish line about five-thousandths of a second ahead of Bednarek. However, there are some hiccups.

Foreseeing his thirst to grab the Olympic gold this season, this start was a pretty decent one for Noah Lyles. After all, the man who has a personal best of 9.83 should not be content with the time. Therefore, before making his appearance in the US Olympic Trials this season, he needs to guard his forte well.

One area of concern will surely be his starts. But again, Let’s not forget how far he has come from the Tokyo Olympics. That gives him the courage to boast, “Last year I went out there and won three gold medals. This year, I want to get four. And if I don’t get four, I am going after three world records.”, he stated while aiming to clinch the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and the 4x400m relay. Fans will eagerly wait to see Lyles fulfilling his promise in the coming days.