On November 15th, the US sprinting icon, Noah Lyles bagged the Jesse Owens US Athlete of the Year Award for a staunch 2023 season. The 6x World Champion had an amazing season that marked his legendary gold medal three-peat at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. Moreover, Noah Lyles also broke Usain Bolt?s record of most sub-20 finishes in the 200m category this year.
This is the third time the USATF has awarded the Jesse Owens honor to the 26-year-old. According to a recently uploaded social media post, Lyles is only the second US athlete to claim the award three times. In fact, this historic achievement has now put him in the same league as American sprinting legend Michael Johnson.
Noah Lyles stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Michael Johnson
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Michael Johnson is one of the strongest pillars of American Track and Field. The 8x World Champion and 4x Olympic gold medalist is known for his consistency on the tracks. Interestingly, Global Athletics recently made a tweet on X and revealed that Noah Lyles has now equaled Johnson as a 3x Jesse Owens Award Winner.
The tweet carried the caption,??Congratulations to 6x World Champion @LylesNoah on winning the 2023 @usatf Jesse Owens Award as America?s best men?s track and field athlete of the year! He now joins @MJGold as the only other man to win the Jesse Owens Award three times.??
According to the Washington Post, Lyles expressed his gratitude after winning the prestigious award. He said, ?It?s an honor to receive my third Jesse Owens Award and to be associated with such a legendary athlete.??Lyles also expressed his thanks to the USATF for recognizing him as the true recipient of the award.
Congratulations to 6x World Champion @LylesNoah on winning the 2023 @usatf Jesse Owens Award as America’s best men’s track and field athlete of the year! He now joins @MJGold as the only other man to win the Jesse Owens Award three timeshttps://t.co/pZpWJ9ki0M
📸 Kevin Morris pic.twitter.com/E8Mjdr6Sa5
— Global Athletics (@gamupdates) November 16, 2023
Interestingly, Lyles is also a finalist for the World Athletics? Athlete of the Year Award. While Noah Lyles truly deserves to win the award, he recently tweeted his unfeigned perspective on the matter.
WATCH STORY –?Noah Lyles is All In, Rooting for the $155M Esports Giants at Worlds 2023
USATF answers the question Lyles asked to World Athletics
Noah Lyles recently posted his picture published by the World Athletics when they declared the finalists of the Athlete of the Year Award. Along with the picture, Lyles wrote,??Is the triple enough to get World Athletes of the Year?????
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Is the triple enough to get World Athletes of the Year??? pic.twitter.com/hbqAt7cwNt
— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah) November 14, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
As Noah Lyles waits for the announcement of the award, he will continue his preparation for the upcoming 2024 Olympics. As Lyles now has six world championship gold medals and three Jesse Owens Awards, he is looking forward to clinch the Olympic gold medal.?