Who doesn’t remember Noah Lyles‘ insane performance in the 100m finals at the Stade de France? The sprinter had consistently impressed fans throughout the U.S. Olympic Trials and the London Diamond League. But even then, the reigning 100m World Champion wasn’t touted as the favorite. In fact, many were rooting for Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson. Even though the 27-year-old had a slow start, he turned heads by going full throttle towards the end of the race, simultaneously delivering a magnificent photo finish. 

While stealing the crown of the Olympic 100m champion in 9.784 seconds was surprising, the journey leading up to this was an uphill battle for the sprinter. Often known for his boisterous and outspoken nature, the 27-year-old has received criticism from his own countrymen and women. He once spoke about how unsettling it felt: “I was more shocked of, I don’t know… the toxicity from the U.S. on their own people!” However, he’s taken a step towards changing people’s perceptions with his new project. 

On October 20, Noah Lyles unveiled the series finale of “The Unseen Journey.” This will be following the Olympian after the events of “THE MAKING OF AN ICON.” Fans get to look at what took place behind the scenes of the 2024 NYC Grand Prix, the 2024 US Olympic Trials, and the 2024 Paris Olympics. “2 years ago, I made a choice. I made a choice to showcase the journey behind the scenes,” the 27-year-old stated in the trailer. The sprinter debuted the series over a year ago. In the first video, the sprinter takes us through his day before the 2023 NYC Grand Prix. 

Many followed the sprinter’s journey through the series. The sprinter showcased every aspect of his life as he pushed to meet his goals. But the Olympian finally opens up on why he took this step. “I wanted people to see everything, not just the good, but the bad, the hard times, and the glad,” he revealed. We often see different sides of the 27-year-old on his social media, in interviews, and on the track. However, there are so many things we miss out on. 

Noah Lyles addresses this, “I knew that one day I will be on top of that podium, and people would think it’s easy. But I don’t just want to show that, I wanna show the business or the fashion. I want to show the happy moments, the time to push through moments, the frustrating moments, and I just got it moments.” The Olympian has never shied away from sharing his shortcomings or his success with his fans, and this isn’t any different. “I want to show it all cause somebody’s going to look at me and say that ‘I wanna be better’,” he confessed. But what is this hate we talk about? 

Noah Lyles’ rise to the top wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows

The sprinter famously told Olympics.com, “When people come to see me, they get excited because they know a special moment is going to happen.” After dominating the track at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, the 27-year-old revealed he wanted to be someone other athletes look up to while also changing the game of the sport. He emphasized that while medals are essential, there’s so much more to explore beyond that. 

Noah Lyles led by example. His larger-than-life personality has always drawn attention, good and bad. But this is his way of bringing more people to the sport. After releasing his project last year, there were talks of Netflix’s SPRINT following him and several other athletes throughout the World Championships. However, the Olympian believed this was the perfect way to reinvent the sport. He reiterated how he wanted to reignite the passion for track meets, making them wish they were present during the events.

But when the docuseries finally released on July 2, many saw a different side of the athlete. He even opened up about one of his most hated Instagram posts in episode 5. The athlete had shared an image of his goals with his fans. He wanted them to know what he was aiming for. On the other hand, fans weren’t pleased with his confidence. Many mocked him for sharing his ambitions or doubted that he would achieve these in the first place. However, this isn’t the only time the 27-year-old has dealt with nearly no support. A staggering example would be the time leading up to the Paris Olympics.

Even though the sprinter proved his mettle during the Olympic Trials, many weren’t cheering him on. But this didn’t dampen his spirits. He confidently clapped back with, “Y’all too negative for me right now. I’ll catch y’all after the Olympics.” Even though he shut the naysayers down, he isn’t done yet. Noah Lyles hopes to shine a light on the duality of being an athlete and a human being. And this series seems to have been the first step in that direction. Are you ready to embark on this journey with him?