Terrified Noah Lyles Almost Quit Track and Field After Major Setback in The Past

“Fake it to make it until it actually happens.” That’s what Noah Lyles’ therapist told him to do—keep pushing through, even while battling depression. If you know Lyles, you know he’s all about that neon personality—big smiles, bold expressions, a guy who knows he’s the fastest in the world. And yeah, he eventually proved it, but not in 2021. So, what went wrong? Well, back then, he was in a dark place, fighting depression right before the Tokyo Olympics. It got so bad he considered quitting the sport altogether. Can you imagine? The guy who lights up the track almost gave it all up.

On a recent episode of the Beyond The Records Podcast on YouTube, Noah Lyles joined Rai Benjamin and Grant Holloway to share his journey, including a shocking revelation about almost quitting the track. Reflecting on his struggles, Lyles admitted, “For a little bit, there was that split—like two days or maybe I just need to move on from track, get myself together. Would I come back? I’d always come back in my head. Damn. But I—I—I just had to get my mind focused back.” Despite battling depression, Lyles managed to pull himself together, qualify for the 200-meter race at the postponed 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and head to the Games as the favorite for gold. But what happened next?

At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Noah Lyles entered as the favorite in the 200-meter race, carrying the weight of high expectations. However, he finished third, behind Canada’s Andre de Grasse and fellow American Kenneth Bednarek. The result was a bitter disappointment for Lyles, who had his sights set on gold. “I didn’t win,” he said plainly. “Everybody wants to win when they come [to the Olympics], right?” His frustration was palpable, and it marked a low point in what had already been an emotionally challenging year.

On the same podcast, Lyles also opened up about the aftermath of that loss. “So, you know, I lose the 200 in 2021, and I’m like, ‘I’m done for the season. I’ll just come back next year.” He recounted how everyone urged him to compete at the Prefontaine Classic, but he resisted. “I didn’t want to show my face,” he admitted. When he confided in his therapist, she challenged him, “Why are you so scared to go race?” That question hit a nerve. Lyles realized he wasn’t just disappointed—he was genuinely scared. “I couldn’t believe I was actually scared to lose,” he said. “But as a competitor, I should never be scared to lose because that’s how I find my weaknesses and figure out how to get better.”

Determined not to let fear define him, Lyles took his therapist’s advice and headed to the Prefontaine Classic. He pushed past his doubts, stepped onto the track, and dominated the race. “I got my butt up, took myself to that track meet, whooped everybody’s butt, and proved I was the person who was supposed to win,” he said proudly. It was not just a win – it was the win that had to be fought for and earned. It was to take back his mentality and to prove that he couldn’t be defeated by fear or failure. Tellingly, Lyles said that that moment was a reset, reviving the spirit that helped him to achieve the title. Now, for how depression was incorporated into his process, it may not be as obvious as it seems given his positive image. But all this started back in 2019.

This one moment changed everything for Noah Lyles!

Growing up with asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, and depression Lyles had to deal with obstacles both externally and internally. However, according to the report, his signs of mental health issues emerged only in 2019. While the Olympian emerged victorious at the Doha World Championships in the 200m race, Lyles has already been showing signs of his difficulties. His feeling of homesickness tops up the fact that he combined with living out of hotel rooms in Europe for long periods, had begun to wear him down. “Even winning the 200m at worlds didn’t fully improve my mood,” he later admitted.

The real turning point was in 2020 when George Floyd was killed and Lyles fell even deeper into depression. But his condition gradually declined in the early stages of the pandemic. “I lost my twinkle,” he said as he explained how constant fatigue and difficulty breathing made him feel disconnected. By the summer of 2020, he started taking antidepressants to try to treat progressing depression and that was not a quick fix as well.

Nevertheless, Lyles continued and he recalled that even after he reduced the dosages of the antidepressants he felt estranged from the athlete in question. He had to “fake it to make it,” as he put it, but the pressure was building and the seriousness of the circumstances he had endured weighed on him heavily. But now where he is! He came out even stronger, and now he is the official 100 m Olympic Gold medalist and that is no joke. What do you think of Lyles’ inspiring journey? Let us know in the comment section below!