Do you remember when Noah Lyles claimed the sprint throne at the 2023 World Championships? This is what fables are made of. After becoming the youngest World Champion in the 200m event at the 2019 World Championship, he set the track on fire in Budapest. The 27-year-old didn’t bag one or two but three world titles in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay. He even momentarily held the title of the world’s fastest man after clinching an epic win in the 100m event. 

As he moved into the 2024 season, the stakes were higher than ever. However, the reigning world champion had only one goal in mind: clinching the Olympic champion title. Easier said than done? Not for the sprinter. He proved his mettle in the 100m event, snagging the hardware with an iconic photo finish. Yet he cut his Olympic stint short and stayed off the track for the remainder of the season. But with the 2025 World Championship set for next year, the Olympian might be looking forward to it—while being responsible for one crucial decision set by the Athletics Board.

After Noah Lyles’ brush in, World Athletics takes a step to rectify their error

The twentieth edition of the World Athletics Championships will take place in Tokyo from September 13 to 21, 2025. Preparations for the meet are in full swing, and WA dropped an exciting new update. On November 7, the press release announced they had signed a sponsorship agreement with Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (Honda) as an official global partner. But how does this tie into the 2023 edition? A few days after being crowned as the 100m world champion that year, Noah Lyles and his competitors were on their way to race in the 200m semi-finals.

But here’s the thing: The athletes were transported to the racetrack in golf carts, and two collided due to severe miscommunication. So what was the aftermath? The American and Jamaican runner Andrew Hudson were in the same cart. While the 100m world champion was unharmed, his competitor seemed to get some glass in his eye. Despite this, he looked forward to competing in the semis but moved to the finals due to his disadvantage.

When the world first witnessed this incident, it caused quite a stir. Understandably so, World Athletics doesn’t want a repeat of the same incident. Honda will provide its electrified fleet as the official transportation at the meet in Tokyo. This also will be the first time the WA has collaborated with the brand, and they couldn’t be more elated. The President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, shared his excitement in the release.

“We are delighted to welcome Honda as the latest World Athletics global partner and have them on board for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, where they will provide electric vehicles as part of our common sustainability objectives,” he exclaimed. Coe also reiterated how both organizations have a shared vision of creating a better future for generations to come. This will help them minimize the environmental impact and help achieve their goal of a sustainable championship. However, even though Noah Lyles experienced a minor hiccup, how did he do during the meet? 

The sprinter effortlessly took on the title of sprint king in Budapest

Leading up to the 2023 World Championship, the sprinter looked forward to bagging three golds at the meet. However, his first event, the 100m dash, had an incredibly stacked lineup. He locked heads with the 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, Letsile Tebogo, Oblique Seville, Zharnel Hughes, and more. The 27-year-old had announced his unrequited love for the 200m dash previously. But that didn’t stop him from scorching towards the finish line in 9.83 seconds.

Even though he claimed this was the hardest race for him, he looked forward to moving on to his “baby,” as he liked to address it. Eager to defend his world title, the sprinter shrugged off the nerves from the golf cart incident and made his way to the finals. Unlike the previous race, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist had a fast start and left his fiercest challenger, Erriyon Knighton, in the dust around the bend. With 19.51 seconds on the clock, Noah Lyles had successfully completed a three-peat in Budapest. 

It was now time for his final event—the 4x100m relay. Along with Christian Coleman, Brandon Carnes, and Fred Kerley, the sprinter ran the anchor leg of the event. Coleman had a quick start off the blocks, but halfway through the event, things began to look grim. But Carnes gave Team USA a slight margin by handing the baton to Lyles, who crossed the finish line in a world-leading 37.38 seconds. His dreamy stint in Budapest ended with a magnificent golden treble.

Will he be able to repeat the same results in Tokyo next year? It is doable, according to track and field legend Justin Gatlin. That is, unless he decides to contest in his bread and butter event as well. The former sprinter believes that if he contests in both events, it could possibly be a repeat of his bronze medal performance in the French capital. “Not saying he won’t be a top competitor for the 100m at the World Championships, but most of his focus and energy will shift back to the 200,” he admitted. Are you excited to watch Noah Lyles return to the track next season?