“Talking to My Therapist”: Noah Lyles Comes Clean of Mental Health Struggles Before Paris Olympics

Noah Lyles recently hoisted his flag at the 60m dash of the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix event. The short track race saw him beat his longtime rival Fred Kerley and clocking a personal best of 6.44 seconds. The Olympic year couldn’t have started any better for the 6x World Champion. After winning the race, Noah Lyles attended a post-event press conference wherein he was asked about mental pressure in the Olympic year. Having undergone therapy from the age of nine, Noah Lyles knows very well how these sessions can be helpful to keep one’s mind aligned during tough situations.

Notably, Noah has never held back on the fact that he has to resort to a therapist. Because for him, “Mental health isn’t its own entity. It’s everyday life.” This very stand of his showed up once again after the Indoor Grand Prix event. An unfazed Lyles uncovered how he conditioned himself on the previous night of the race.

Taking the pressure of expectation in his stride

CItius Mag added a new video on YouTube wherein Noah Lyles was attending to the questions of the press after his win. One of the interviewers asked the 26-year-old, “Do you put any pressure on yourself knowing that it’s an Olympic year? Knowing that Tokyo didn’t go exactly as you want, did you put pressure on yourself?”

Answering the question, Noah Lyles said, “I did. I was talking to my therapist last night, Diane, and I was like, you know what? I can do anything I want to do. I want to be free, and I want to do this and that. But I think I’d rather just keep up the pace. I just want to keep going tomorrow. That’s all I want. And I woke up with the joy of tomorrow, and I’ve been energetic all day.” Noah’s statement gave out the same vibe of relaxation that he had dished out just after winning the bronze medal in the Tokyo Olympics.

In an interview with the New York Times, Noah said, “Even if this doesn’t go right in track, I still have a life outside of it. I have places that I can go. I am not defined by being an Olympic bronze medalist, or a gold medal world champion, or the high schooler who went pro. That’s not who I am; I’m Noah Lyles.”

Interestingly, despite trying to put up a casual image, Noah Lyles remains that staunch champion who overcomes all odds to stand atop. That showed up during the latest interview as well. Lyles’ ambitious side got the better of him and surfaced before the press as he outlined his goals for this year.

The Noah Lyles’ vision for 2024

In the course of the interview, Noah Lyles talked about his aspirations for the Olympic year. Lyles added, “Last year we went after three gold medals, this year I want to go after four, or if I don’t get four, we go after three world records.” Based on Noah’s response, one of the interviewers asked, “You said three world records, so you think a 100m world record, you think that’s realistic to you?” The confident Lyles answered, “Why would it not be?” 

WATCH STORY – Noah Lyles Is All In, Rooting for the $155M Esports Giants at World 2023

The interviewer said that the 6x World Champ will have to cover a lot of ground if he wants to break these records. To this, Noah Lyles noted, “There is nothing stopping you from trying, and if I don’t succeed try and try again.” This is a clear indication that Lyles is aiming high for the upcoming big games. Do you think he will be able to achieve either of his two goals in Paris?

ALSO READ – “World Can Be So Cruel Some Times”: Noah Lyles Reveals His Biggest Track Struggles