Noah Lyles is one of the most talked about athletes in 2023. The discussions about him surround his athletic prowess, his million-dollar lifestyle, and his hilarious personality. Lyles is known as the “cool guy” of track and field, but that calmness and swagger do not come easy. Recently, the double sprinting champion showed a side of him that many don’t know when he tore the veil of mystery and presented the gutwrenching truth of the life of an athlete for all to see.

Noah Lyles needs to keep a long list of people on his payroll at all times, including coaches, technicians, nutritionists, physiotherapists, and personal trainers. But many would not have guessed a therapist to be part of this list. In a surprising revelation, Lyles disclosed the hidden truth behind the glitzy facade and shed light on the mental and emotional toll on him.

Noah Lyles’ shocking mental struggles

During a podcast shoot with Liberian athlete Joseph Fahnbulleh, Noah Lyles went back to the dark days when he was surrounded by the miasma of anxiety. The podcast that featured on YouTube later on with the title, “INTERNET COACHES CAN SHUT IT!,” took us deeper into his mindset. For him, the phrase “being present” uttered by his guest Joseph Fahnbulleh was a trigger.

He said, “In 2021, being present was a very hard thing for me. It was very hard to actually be in the race, the gun go off and I would like, I’m getting out”. Throughout the race, he would experience many “oh gosh” moments. As a result, he failed to keep his mind fixed on his own performance and dreaded being overtaken. This is equivalent to the twisties in gymnastics and would have ended his glorious career before it began

Track and field fans will remember Noah Lyles from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics when he looked unusually agitated. He lacked the calmness that has become a familiar attribute for him. This mental disposition affected his run, and Noah Lyles won the 200-meter bronze medal in Japan. After the race, he broke down into tears and spoke about the cathartic release he experienced by expressing his emotions.

Noah Lyles exorcising demons

The pandemic was hard for everyone on this planet, but it was the hardest for those like Noah Lyles, who thrive on competition. He could not train when the lockdown relaxed but could not return to his prime form in time. This gave rise to anxieties and made things worse for him.

It was even more upsetting for him when his brother Josephus Lyles failed to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Finally, he sought professional help, and his therapist built the mental fortitude in him to endure the pressures of athletics.

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Now, Noah Lyles is a spokesperson for mental challenges and recommends seeking professional help in time. He said, “I want you to know that it’s OK to not feel good, and you can go out and talk to somebody professionally, or even get on medication, because this is a serious issue”. Using his own experience as an example, Noah Lyles explained that the therapist helped him recover in time for the Olympics. Now, he is more confident than ever and is ready to clinch his first Olympic gold medal.

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