“Woman’s Faster Than Me!”: Noah Lyles Reveals US Track & Field Legend That Pushed Him Towards Olympics Dream

Everyone has that embryonic careerist push/idea that has propelled to the top of their respective food chains. For Noah Lyles, he found his goal via a kindred spirit, the latter being a revered track icon. A similar emotion was captured by Noah Lyles, wherein he spoke this into existence. Fast forward to today, the 6x World champ Noah Lyles, revealed the special inspiration behind his Olympic goals. Speaking on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” Lyles described how a turning point in 2012 led him to where he is now. This incident, which involved an anticipated scene, has motivated him to pursue Olympic success.

Noah Lyles and his brother Josephus Lyles attended the Junior Olympics, bearing slight fruit to their inevitable goals. After seeing Allyson Felix’s amazing performance at London 2012, Lyles experienced an eureka moment. His route after coming to this assessment offers an intriguing look into the mindset of a champion.

When Jimmy Fallon asked, “When did you get the bug and go like, ‘I think we can do this’?” Noah recalled the inspirational year stating, “It was 2012” (an epochal year.) Furthermore, with a flash of memory, Lyles said, “You’re watching Allyson Felix go down.” The former Nike-affiliated athlete brought Lyles and his brother hope and opportunity. “And we’re like, ‘You know what? I think we can make the Olympics.’ – quipped Noah Lyles to a curious Jimmy Fallon.

Encircled by Olympians like the Clark family and driven by the electrifying atmosphere of the games, Felix’s display caught Lyles’s attention. Various benefactors were responsible for Lyles and his brother’s dream to take fruition. Lyles initially got into track by proxy, with high-jump being his forte and then branching out. Since then, there has been no looking back. Recently, Lyles won the men’s 200-meter race at the USATF NYC Grand Prix in a timing of 19.77 seconds. Before the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and the Paris Olympics, this event served as a critical springboard. However, Noah Lyles, keeping Paris in his peripheral vision also had spoken in great length about Felix, beaming from ear to ear, in 2012.

Noah Lyles’s thoughts on the evergreen Allyson Felix

The World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022 marked the last appearance of her illustrious career for Allyson Felix. However, many individuals, including Noah Lyles, had words of wisdom for the phenom herself. The retired American track and field athlete, with 11x Olympic medals, including 7x golds, and 20 World Championship medals, she became the most decorated track and field athlete in history record books. Her impact, however, transcended beyond the court with her brand deals with Nike and her own company called Saysh.

Noah Lyles recounted the few seconds of a race stating, “I remember she ran 21 seconds, and at the time my personal best was 22 seconds,“ Lyles recalled. “It was like, ‘dang, this woman’s faster than me!‘” But he was struck by more than simply her speed. Felix also made a lasting impression with her stance on social issue plaguing the modern world. “For one Black woman to speak their mind and speak for what they believe is right, even have the courage to try, is something I feel young people should be watching for years to come,” Lyles noted.

Additionally, Allyson Felix’s legacy is still motivating the competitive athletes of today. Her respect was echoed by Anna Hall, the 23-year-old NCAA heptathlon champion, who said that she had a poster of Felix adorned on her bedroom wall. Felix posing for a picture with her sister during the 2016 Olympic Trials was a memorable event that Hall warmly recalled. Hall remarked, “She set a great example for American girls to follow.”

Furthermore, Felix felt emotional after receiving the sincere words. “You guys are going to have me cry up here.” Thus, the enduring impact of role models is highlighted by this deep bond among athletes. For Noah Lyles, seeing Allyson Felix succeed in 2012 might egg him on even more to give it his all for Paris.