At times, athletes need to pay heed to the world beyond the sporting arena. The recent turmoil in the state politics of Florida is causing an uproar among the citizens, and the sporting fraternity cannot turn a blind eye for longer. In recent months, Florida’s situation has drawn the ire of many Americans, and with the 2024 elections around the corner, more and more athletes are coming up with their opinions on the matter. Among them, tennis star Coco Gauff has become a major voice. Now, Olympian and national sensation Noah Lyles has joined her.

A recent post by AP Sports on X showed the 2023 US Open winner Gauff stating her mind about what she thought of the current state of affairs in Florida. Urging young countrymen to undertake their responsibilities by implementing their voting rights, Gauff can be heard talking about how things can be changed with our collective efforts.

“It is a crazy time to be a Floridian“, confessed the 20-year-old tennis star with a chuckle. “…we aren’t happy with the current state of our government…with the way the office operates,” elaborated Gauff in the video. But she had something in mind that she thinks can rectify the scenario. “At the end of the day, it comes down to the youth and the community to be outspoken. So I encourage everyone to vote.” says the former number-one-ranked tennis player. Noah had to stand for this cause, and he did not take time to do that.

Moments after Gauff’s statements surfaced online, Lyles was quick to extend his support to her views. Sharing the original post, Noah wrote, “I definitely agree with that!” While the presidential elections are easily the biggest event for the country’s political scene, the 26-year-old runner believes the changes need to be heralded at every level, instead of being focused on only the nation’s capital. “We have to do our part on all levels not just the presidential election because if we don’t who will,” said Noah. However, asking young Americans to help shape the future of the country isn’t the only way that Lyles contributes to nation-building..

Coco Gauff receives support from world-champion sprinter

Noah and his brother Josephus Lyles are two of the foremost names when it comes to representatives of the athletics fraternity coming forward to give back to the community. Their organization Lyles Brothers Sports Foundation is a non-profit organization that aims to empower the youth through wellness and health aids. Narrating moments from his own life, Lyles seeks to connect with the younger generations to help them find their own paths by motivating them to take inspiration from his struggles. Not only personal initiatives, Noah is often found in the forefront with his comrades when they stand for a common cause.

The ongoing payment issue that’s sending waves across the track and field community has also found a supporter in Noah Lyles. Promises of monetary prizes for gold medal winners by both the USATF and the World Athletics were not received well by the athletes, and recently, Noah took to social media to reiterate how such low amounts can result in athletes feeling demotivated when they arrive in Paris for the Olympic Games later this year. He has been an ardent voice to bring more recognition to track and field, and lends his stature to make some positive changes there.

With Lyles’ sense of kinship running strong, it waits to be seen if the Olympic medalist takes a more proactive approach in the coming months in order to help the young voters make the right decision with his guidance.