Noah Lyles created history recently by winning the men’s 60m at the USATF Indoor Championships, Albuquerque. What was so special about the victory was the fact that Lyles, who is considered a 100m king, got the better of his arch-rival, Christian Coleman in 60m for the first time. Coleman has never lost in the discipline since 2016 and surely it required a lot of mental calmness for the 26-year-old to achieve this feat. 

It is known that proper mental conditioning is of utmost importance before going into a pressure game. The confidence exhibited by Lyles had the noted track and field coach, LaMonte Vaughn Jr comment on Lyles’ mental composure. However, the American soon tweeted something that was very much unexpected, to say the least. 

Noah Lyles’ mental health secret

NBC Sports Director of Social Media, Travis Miller took to X to congratulate Lyles on his exceptional victory. Seizing the moment, LaMonte Vaughn Jr retweeted Miller’s update and praised Lyles’ emotional and mental stability in tough situations. He also went on to say that this was something that Lyles surely included in his training regime. However, Lyle’s reply to the tweet revealed something else.

The Florida native replied, “Nope it’s not, it’s something I talk about with my sports therapist.” As we all know, a majority of successful sportspersons have a dedicated mental conditioning coach.

Thus, Lyles’ comment is pretty much justified considering the amount of pressure he had to take to win the 60m finals by the narrowest margins of .01s. However, this is not the only time Noah Lyles has opened up about mental health and therapy. 

Lyles has taken therapies since childhood

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day last year, Lyles reflected on his views about mental conditioning. Speaking about the matter, the champion runner pointed out that he has been under the supervision of a therapist since he was nine years old. He said, “Mental health isn’t its own entity. It’s everyday life.” The 26-year-old further elaborated that the feeling of being vulnerable might make people shy away from opening up. 

Read More: “Coming for All”: Noah Lyles Makes a Bold Claim One Day Ahead USATF Indoor Championships

Apart from Lyles, US gymnast Simone Biles is also an ardent advocate of mental well-being. She has, on numerous occasions, voiced her concerns about work-life balance and how it affects mental wellness. Thus, with the American athletes riding high on mental jubilance, things are looking pretty bright for the US ahead of the coveted Paris Olympics in July.

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