If you had a star from your neighborhood who put your hometown on the global map, you’d want to give him the keys to the city as well. While The World’s Fastest Man didn’t exactly get that, he still received a hero’s welcome as he stepped foot in Alexandria, Virginia once again. In the same place where he once trained, Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles was hailed by the Senate of Virginia, and heaving emotions ran riot.

Fans gathered at the Alexandria City High School to catch a glimpse of Lyles. But his visit to the city wasn’t going to happen without residents joining hands to make sure the 26-year-old would feel the good vibes upon his return. After Lyles was commended by the fans and the State Senate, one long-time family friend was caught up by WUSA9 to capture her feelings on seeing Lyles becoming the face of Alexandria at the grandest sporting event in the world.

As per a video shared by the news channel on September 22, the family friend cannot help but feel proud as she witnesses Lyles decimating his competition. “It’s just awesome to see that. I had no idea he would be that great, but he did,‘ said the fan, clearly enthralled by the presence of Noah among her and others in the city. She goes on to reiterate how Lyles’ claim to fame is justified, especially considering how he overcame incredible challenges as a child. The sprinting sensation has talked on previous occasions about how he struggled with asthma and depression but didn’t let anything get in his way of becoming an international icon.

Taking into account the steep path Lyles has climbed to be where he is today, it’s only natural that the city of Alexandria took to the streets to show their respect in style. No arrangement was spared and the 3x Olympic medalist was visibly moved by how his fellow citizens made his day brighter.

Noah Lyles’ GOAT status reaffirmed

The speedster took to social media to share the unique gift he received on his special day. In a post on X captioned, “Thank you so much @AlexandriaVAGov,” Lyles shared the Senate Joint Resolution No. 222 with his fans. In the accompanying image, it can be seen that the House of Delegates and the General Assembly of Virginia hailing the “champion sprinter from Alexandria,” while also commending him for his 2019 US Men’s Athlete of The Year distinction. The resolution lists Lyles’ major professional accolades throughout the years, making it clear why he deserves every honor coming his way, including the latest nod of the hat from the State authorities.

The official Instagram account of the city was also filled with snippets from the day. From the Alexandria City High School students welcoming Noah back to their stadium, to the Olympian reveling in fans’ admiration as he takes a walk down the tracks that were witness to his early success; a lot was going on and Lyles was at the center of it. A large crowd gathered onto the streets, and a full-fledged parade marked the seminal day for the city. Lyles also took a ride in an open-seated car before heading to the high school to give a speech to his fans and spring track stars alike. From the looks of things, the day will definitely go down as one of the most notable moments in the town’s track and field history. Tell us which part from the festivities did you enjoy the most with a comment!