Noah Lyles, with decorated victories and Olympic wins, has reached heights in the athletic realm. Likewise, his popularity too has taken a launch out of orbit. His back-to-back wins before the Olympics already made him America’s favorite track and field star. And if that wasn’t already enough, the featured Netflix docu-series ‘SPRINT’ added more fuel to the hype rocket of Noah Lyles. 

Lyles had his eyes set on securing the gold for his nation. However, while captivating global fans with his charisma and speed was Noah’s cup of tea, he wasn’t yet ready to face the challenges that go hand-in-hand with the unending love from fans’ ends. Noah’s fame surged to unprecedented levels. After returning from his Paris quest, Lyles admitted that the craze among fans might often turn out to be overwhelming. But guess what? It is not just Lyles who had to deal with the mixed blessing. The most celebrated sprinter in the track world too has to wrestle with the pressures that accompany the spotlight.

Noah Lyles and Usain Bolt faced fame’s double-edged sword in Olympic Village

In a post-race interview with USA Today, Lyles shared how his newfound stardom makes it difficult to find personal space in the Paris Olympics village. Jamaica’s legendary sprinter Usain Bolt too echoed the same emotion. Sitting for a podcast with Jake and Damian for the ‘High Performance’ YouTube channel, Bolt offered a vivid account of his own experiences with Olympic fame. When Bolt first stepped into the Village he enjoyed his time there. From spending time in and around the village to dining with fellow athletes and soaking up the atmosphere, it was going perfect for the athlete. “When I started out, I could go to the dining hall, have food, chat with my friends, and walk around the village,” reflected Bolt. 

However, fame did not take long to find Bolt. Showcasing his unmatchable speed on the track, Bolt secured his first gold medal in the 100-meter Olympic dash. And immediately he had to experience the other side of the coin. Narrating his experience of rising to global stardom, Bolt shared, “The day after the 100m, I remember walking into the dining hall, and everybody went silent. Everyone wanted a picture, everyone wanted to touch you, and I was like, “What’s happening?”…It was fun, but it wasn’t fun.” The drastic shift that life takes for elite athletes as they reach the zenith often turns out to be demanding.

For Noah Lyles as well, the journey from anonymity to worldwide recognition hasn’t been all fun. While often several popular athletes chose to change their place of stay to avoid similar complications, Lyles had always relished the village’s atmosphere and preferred staying with his teammates. Yet, as one of Team USA’s biggest stars, Lyles has found that mingling isn’t as simple as it used to be. “I like to enjoy the whole Olympic event,” he explained, “but it has come with its own challenges of finding my own safe place.” 

After being mobbed and dealing with the cons of being a fan favorite, Lyles stated, “Even though we might be superstars in your eyes, we still are human beings, and we do want to be able to have our space and our time. I want to be able to enjoy the Olympics just like you guys are.” The athletes realized that the “Olympic bubble” didn’t shield them from fame but amplified it.

Usain Bolt also shared how he had to often be rescued from being mobbed inside the Olympic Village itself. “My shot put and distance-running friends actually became my security guards and had to get me out of the dining room because I couldn’t stay in there,” shared Bolt. Bolt also pointed out how global recognition has changed his life in ways he both values and regrets. From easy access to events and restaurants to dealing with media scrutiny during family outings, Bolt understands the delicate trade-off between fame and privacy. However, it’s not just Bolt whose personal life has been hampered by the global fame he has achieved. Lyles too had to pay the hidden cost of his soaring popularity.

Lyles tries to keep love on the menu while dodging fame

While enjoying fame can be fun, at certain points, it does become a headache. This was what exactly Noah Lyles had to go through recently. Winning the 100m gold medal in Paris, Lyles had a surge of fan following in America. And this started to affect the quality of life and privacy of the Olympic champion. Speaking of a similar incident post-Paris, Lyles told USA Today how he had to take therapy sessions to help him find solitude.

Lyles also decided to hide him at the back of the cafeteria to spend some quality time with his girlfriend, Junelle Bromfield. Lyles said, “I was talking to my therapist (Sunday), and we were just trying to figure out ways to better seclude myself. I’ve now been finding myself eating at very random times in the back of the cafeteria just to have my space with me and my girlfriend (Jamaican track and field athlete Junelle Bromfield). Just trying to enjoy a meal.”

Expectedly, Lyles was utterly concerned about Bromfield and ensured that she didn’t get further mental hiccups. Already facing immense flak from Jamaican fans for her romantic association with Lyles, the Olympic gold medalist stood as a pillar of support. As a matter of fact, Bromfield received death threats that made her rethink her decision to step into her own homeland. 

On the contrary, Lyles made her visit his hometown while his family embraced Bromfield with familiar warmth. Thus, with the fame game catching up concerningly Lyles, he had no option but to distance himself a bit for the sake of making his lifestyle tread on the usual paths once again.