Back in 2017, the track and field came to a standstill as Usain Bolt hanged up his boots. Since then, Jamaicans have been looking forward to a natural successor to Usain’s remarkable legacy. Although there have been many names making it to the world record board, none of them was able to overcome sprinting phenom’s excellence.

However, the American sprinter often touted as the figurehead of Usain Bolt is a beacon of hope emerging nowadays. In a recent comment, Noah Lyles added to the expectations by saying, “He (Usain Bolt) was the fastest man ever to do it….and soon it’ll be me”. But, it is not only Usain that Noah is eyeing. 

Fancies and fantasies of Noah Lyles

In a recent episode of the Inside Track podcast series, Noah Lyles made a bold claim ahead of the 2204 Paris Olympics.  He said, “For this year (2024) specifically, I want to solidify myself as the world’s fastest man in the 100m…I definitely have the American record in the 100m on my mind and even the world record.” 

Coming to fame with his appearance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics by clocking 9.58 seconds, Noah Lyles is no stranger to sprinting success. In addition to this, his illustrious career also features six-time world championship titles and a personal best of 9.69s at 100m. Even though there is no doubt about Noah’s potential, claiming to break Usain Bolt’s 15-year standing world record is simply big. 

But before coming to Usain Bolt’s 2009 world record of 9.58 seconds, Noah has to overcome two of the USA’s top sprinters who stood below Usain Bolt. While Tyson Gay stands in second place with 9.69 secured at Shanghai in 2009, Justin Gatlin is positioned at NO. 5 with 9.74 seconds record. 

However, Tyson, Usain, and Justin are not the only challenges Noah Lyles faces on his path to breaking world records. 

Noah’s 2024 Paris Olympics Challenge 

Amongst these top world record holders, Christain Coleman is a name featured at the 6th position. At the World Indoor Championships held in Glasgow, Christain Coleman took the American sprinter down at the finals of the 60m race by clocking a time of 6.41 seconds. After finishing first, he said, “I felt good about it…I felt like I really just wanted to clear my mind and let my body do what it was supposed to do.” 

Read More: Noah Lyles Stands Up for Usain Bolt’s Unreal World Record, Dismissing Any Doping Suspicions

Interestingly, Christian defeated Noah to overcome his tough challenge and finish first. As Christian is another contender ahead of Noah Lyles on the list, Noah has a fair chance to not only better Usain’s 100m record but also to take over three of USA’s top sprinting phenoms. In addition to this, Noah can also take redemption of 60m Worlds from Christian Coleman. 

However, this is not the only thing 26-year-old is vying for. As the 2024 Paris Olympics is only a few days to go, Noah is also eyeing securing four golds at the 100m, 200m, 4×100 and 4×200 races at the Summer Games–a feat that not even the current world record holder was able to accomplish during his illustrious sports career. The question remains, will Noah be able to overcome intense competition?

Also Read: Noah Lyles’ Coach Shrugs Off Olympics’ Difficulty, Dubs Another Event “Hardest Meet in the World”