Noah Lyles has been rising to prominence in the track and field world by subtly passing some of the biggest names in history. With his recent accomplishments, Lyles seems ready to inherit Usain Bolt’s record at the age of 26. Lyles has already established himself as one of the quickest sprinters. His path to the Paris Olympics has been nothing short of extraordinary, filled with noteworthy accomplishments and personal bests.
Lyles won the 100m at the US Olympic trials, which guaranteed him a spot at the Olympics in Paris. In his shining moment, he matched his personal best time of 9.83 seconds in Eugene, Oregon. Lyles is so certain, he’s got a goal set on beating Bolt. In a conversation, he said, “Yeah, why not… that’s my plan.”
However, recently, “Track & Field Gazette” tweeted a list of the men who have clocked the most sub-20 200-meter times ever. The tweet, however, topped with Noah Lyles and Usain Bolt in the second spot. This post, which included a photo of Noah, highlighted how dominant he was in the 200 meters.
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Men with the highest sub-20 200m clockings in history
🇺🇸 Noah Lyles 40 🔼
🇯🇲 Usain Bolt 34
🇺🇸 Kenny Bednarek 25 🔼
🇺🇸 Michael Johnson 24
🇳🇦 Frankie Fredericks 24
🇺🇸 Erriyon Knighton 20 🔼
🇺🇸 Wallace Spearmon 20
🇺🇸 Tyson Gay 14
🇨🇦Andre de Grasse 14
🇺🇸Carl Lewis 10
🇯🇲Yohan Blake 9 pic.twitter.com/jvTFogr2ct— Track & Field Gazette (@TrackGazette) July 1, 2024
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Lyles has stated that he is determined to use his special combination of quickness, appeal, and marketing savvy to beat Bolt-like success. “I have the personality, I have the speed, I have the showmanship,” Lyles added. “I have the marketing mindset. I’m willing to be uncomfortable.” He stands out in the sport because of his approach, which enables him to push boundaries and establish new standards.
Noah Lyles’s rise to the Paris Olympics
Noah Lyles has set his mind on even bigger goals after taking home three medals from the 2023 World Championships. Lyles declared his goal to break Bolt’s Olympic records by capturing four medals in single Games after taking victory in the 60-meter at the World Athletics Indoors in 2024. “Last year I went out there and won three gold medals. This year I want to get four.” He stated to USA Today, “And if I don’t get four, I am going after three world records.”
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Lyles solidified his spot on the Olympic squad by winning the 100-meter gold medal in the U.S. Olympic Trials. Next up, he’ll compete to guarantee his 200-meter position. His straightforward approach to success is this: “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The deliberate strategy seeks to progressively win every medal and record in men’s sprinting competitions to surpass Usain Bolt.
With trust in his preparedness, Lyles said, “I study my competitors… But I’ll tell you what, there’s a difference between running in Jamaica and running at the Olympics. I’ve seen how you handle your rounds. I know your weaknesses, I know what your strengths are. I’ll be ready.” His confident nature and calculated style highlight his will to succeed in Paris. Lyles is gaining momentum on Bolt’s legendary reputation because of his steady performances. Thus, this will pave the way for an interesting matchup at the Paris Olympics.