Undoubtedly, Noah Lyles has been one of the most talked-about figures in track and field in recent years. While his off-field antics—like beefing with NBA players and NFL star Tyreek Hill—might have boosted his mainstream appeal, it’s his track performances that cement his legacy. Known for his numerous critics, Lyles silenced them all with his gold medal win in the 100m final at the Paris Olympics. He also secured a bronze in the 200m, despite competing while unwell. Holding the fastest time ever by an American at 19.31 seconds, which is the third fastest globally, Lyles is undeniably among the best in the world.

His success reflects immense hard work, dedication, and perseverance. But did he ever have doubts along the way? Surprisingly, no. Before sprinting, Lyles had aspirations in another sport. In a GQ interview, he mentioned he played basketball briefly but shifted his focus to individual sports. His true passion, however, was another track and field event—not sprinting!

Noah Lyles talks about his ambitions before sprinting and what stopped him from pursuing them!

During his appearance on the Everybody Wants to Be Us podcast on August 12, Noah Lyles was asked if he ever doubted his potential. While he never questioned his ability to excel in track, he did have other sporting dreams that didn’t pan out. “First, I wanted to be a high jumper. But then I stopped growing and thought, ‘Oh, 5’10 is where I’m staying at?’” Lyles explained. He noted that to be a great high jumper, you ideally need to be at least 6’1, and since he maxed out at 5’10, pursuing a high jumping career became impractical. So, he decided to shift his focus.

He also said that high jumping was very difficult to train for, but it instilled within him the confidence he needed for his running career to flourish. “It’s still kinda instilled within me a lot of things that I bring on now. Especially when it came to confidence. Some of my hardest training moments came from training for high jump. So, I brought a lot of that with me,” said Noah Lyles.

According to Yahoo!, Noah Lyles has an impressive vertical leap, capable of jumping up to 3 feet. This was demonstrated when he cleared over his competitor, Jeff Erius, who stands at about 6.17 feet, during the World Athletics Indoor Championships. Given this remarkable ability, it’s intriguing to consider how Lyles might have fared in high jumping. But high jumping wasn’t the only sport he explored!

The jack of all trades, Lyles, reveals his other sports and which one could’ve been his pro career—if not for track!

Noah Lyles dabbled in a variety of sports as a kid, from soccer and basketball to baseball, gymnastics, and swimming. On the Everybody Wants to Be Us podcast, he revealed, “I did a lot of different sports. I did soccer, basketball, baseball, gymnastics. Love gymnastics. And swimming. So, track was the last one I ended up with.” It’s almost hard to believe track was his final choice given his incredible talent in it.

Imagine if we had seen him in a different sport— we were almost there. Lyles started track and field at age 12, but before that, he was fully immersed in gymnastics. However, when asked which sport he’d have pursued if not track, he didn’t pick gymnastics. Instead, he named soccer. “I have the speed, coordination, the ability to think out plays, map out scenarios, and be very vocal,” he said. But that’s not all!

“If I were put in a culture where soccer or, you know, football was very popular, I feel like I would be very good.” He also supports Manchester United, sharing a common trait with Jamaican legend Usain Bolt, who’s often seen at United games. While it’s fascinating to think about Lyles in soccer or gymnastics, his track achievements are what truly define him. So, could he have been a successful footballer or high jumper? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Before you leave, check out the latest Think Tank episode on EssentiallySports. Maddisen Skinner’s coach, a renowned name in American volleyball, gives a behind-the-scenes look at his star player.