Noah Lyles Smiles in Silence as Track and Field Fans Almost Sell out Astana Indoor Meet Venue

The World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold has kicked off with its first-day event at the Qazaqstan Athletics Sports Complex in Astana. For the first time, Asia is hosting its Gold level meet, and the excitement is already peaking for the Amin Tuyakov Prizes 2024. The stellar line-up of athletes screams the utmost thrill already. But track and field virtuoso Noah Lyles is feeling gratified for a special reason.

The 26-year-old magic weaver has tasted success in 2023 like no other. But as the first track meet rolled in, it was not the athletes he had shifted his attention to. “The 200, I know that it’s mine,” said the one who had sported unimaginable confidence during his runs last year. With a bag full of laurels, he’s a star beyond his sport now. But his heart is always where the track is.

Sold-out sectors have Noah Lyles teary-eyed

The portal from where the spectators can purchase their tickets for Astana is on the verge of closing with a full house. Except for one sector selling for 1000 per seat, it’s a lost opportunity for the interested ones now. When the Jamaican icon Usain Bolt stepped down from his beloved sport, people stopped flocking to the stadiums anymore. At the 2019 World Champions in Doha, the aftermath of Bolt’s retirement was heavily felt. But it bettered as the athletes appeared for the 2022 World Championships, and further ameliorated when Noah Lyles stole the spotlight in the 2023 Worlds.

Lyles triumphed more because his desire to run for a stadium full of crowd stood out. Since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics took place in the wake of a pandemic, it was hard for the athletes to adjust to less crowd. Lyles had said, “It would be better to compete in an empty stadium at the Tokyo Olympics than one where spectators would be forced to sit in silence”. But his beliefs don’t end here.

Taking track to the next level

Standing with three golds at the sprint treble at the 2023 World Championships, Lyles had the entire world rallying. Without a shadow of doubt, a it’s Noah Lyles after Usain Bolt who can keep fans entertained during adrenaline-fueled events. The former said, “When people come to see me, they get excited because they know a special moment is going to happen”. 

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Not only did he make stellar strides on the track, Lyles also walked the ramp, proving himself as a versatile personality. Though he has competed at the Worlds, he was always eyeing the Paris Olympics 2024. With the grand event just months away, we’re expecting to see the best of Noah Lyles.

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