Noah Lyles, who proudly calls himself the ‘fastest man in the world,’ might be an Olympic champ now, but it hasn’t been an easy ride. He’s faced plenty of bumps along the way, including some serious financial struggles. “Our lights were shutting off,” he admitted, giving a peek into the tough times he and his family went through. But with his mom, Keisha Caine Bishop, always in his corner, Noah and his brother, Josephus, pushed through every challenge.

Miss Keisha was definitely a bit surprised when her sons decided to ditch high school and go all in on their athletic dreams. “I was like, are you crazy?” she laughed, thinking back. But what seemed like a huge risk totally paid off. Now, she looks back with a ton of pride, saying she’s “more proud of myself than anything,” as she soaks in all their wins together. It hasn’t been an easy ride, though—after her divorce, she had some tough times when work kept her from getting her boys to practice.

In an episode of Got It From My Momma, which aired after the Paris Olympics, Keisha opened up about the tough times her family faced. She shared, “Yeah, it was so sweet because when they came to me with this dream we had, I had just gotten divorced and so we were really struggling.” They went from living the middle-class life—complete with nice houses and investment properties—to needing food stamps. “Like we went from being, you know, middle class owning investment properties, living in homes we had built to qualifying for food stamps, having our light shut off, having our water shut off.”

But even with all that, Keisha was determined to make her son’s dreams a reality. With a fierce drive, she said,

“But I was like, okay, like I am going to do everything I can to make this dream come true.” She reached out to her community for help, setting up a GoFundMe that brought in cash and donations for shoes and other essentials. “So many people believed in us,” she said, shining a light on the amazing support system Noah Lyles and his siblings had.

One of their high school coaches even stepped in to help out by taking the boys to practice whenever Keisha couldn’t make it because of work. Keisha worked super hard, often trying to squeeze in her job while still being there for her sons. “I would try to work through lunch so that I could show up, get off early so I could show up to their practices just to let them know that I’m here, still here to support you.”

Her nonstop support and dedication were key to their journey, showing that with love and grit, dreams can really come true, no matter how tough things get. Thanks to Keisha’s unwavering support and Noah’s relentless dedication, he’s now standing tall as the 100m gold medalist from the Paris Olympics. His hard work has not only earned him medals but also boosted his net worth, landing him some major brand deals along the way.

Noah Lyles’ from hardships to stardom

The five-time Diamond League champion, Noah Lyles, isn’t just a superstar on the track; he’s also one of the wealthiest athletes in track and field as of 2024, with an estimated net worth of $7 million, according to Pulse Sports. His impressive earnings come primarily from the cash prizes he’s collected across various competitions, along with the brand promotions that recognize his star power. A major boost to his fortune was his multi-year endorsement with Adidas, which kicked off his career at just 19 when he teamed up with the sporting apparel giant.

Lyles’s journey with Adidas began in 2016 when the brand saw the potential in him and signed him while he was still in high school. Known for supporting elite talents, Adidas gave Lyles access to world-class training facilities and the chance to join Pure Athletics, where he trains under the legendary coach Lance Brauman.

But Lyles isn’t just relying on track success; he’s also a savvy investor. He’s dipped into the real estate market, turning profits there, and he’s leveraged his growing social media presence to secure even more lucrative endorsement deals. With brands like Xfinity, Coca-Cola, Visa, and Omega under his belt, Lyles’s portfolio continues to grow. His digital influence is a magnet for top brands, and they’ve recognized his value, leading to collaborations that keep his accounts busy with brand-related content. And as Noah says, “What you have does not define what you can become.”