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With the Summer Olympic Games 2024 fast approaching, the anticipation is being turned up a notch and the focus is starting to turn more towards the athletes that are going to set the games alight. There is a lot expected from Noah Lyles, not only because of his undoubted ability, but also because of the lofty goals he has set himself for the summer. His raw pace on the athletics track coupled with a sparkling personality has turned Lyles into a household figure in the athletics world and millions of eyes will be on him in Paris and his quest for an incredible three gold medals.
Lyles was born in Gainesville, Florida, and at the current age of 26, he is already well on track to becoming one of the greatest sprinters of all time. Parallels with Usain Bolt have been made and although Lyles never got to race directly against Bolt, he will be gunning for his records, even as early as this summer. His pace is frightening and a 200m race featuring Lyles can be over quicker than using a Virgin games promo code and spinning a slots reel. His personal best 200m time of 19.31 seconds is evidence of that. Such is his development over the years, it might be wise not to wager against Lyles in his quest to become the undisputed GOAT.
Noah Lyles (Getty)
The ambition continues to burn
Lyles certainly does not lack ambition and has a fierce competitive side that has arguably pushed him to be faster and be the best version of himself. The American is currently the reigning 100m and 200m world champion and was only narrowly beaten by rival Christian Coleman in the 60m at the recent World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow.
Despite only winning silver, Lyles’ ability to run Coleman close was even more impressive considering the 60m hurdles does not even rank in the top three of Lyles’ strongest distances. His time of 6.44 was only 0.03 slower than his fellow American’s, but Lyles will be looking to bounce back from that minor setback to claim the other three gold medals (100m, 200m and 4x100m) he targeted at the beginning of 2024 and reap the rewards of the time and dedication put in after only winning bronze in the 200m in Tokyo in 2021.
Since Tokyo, Lyles has won world championships in Eugene (2022) as well as the sprint treble in Budapest (2023) to reassert his status as a heavyweight in sprinting, as well as breaking Bolt’s record for the number of times running under 20 seconds in the 200m discipline at the Diamond League meet in London last year.
Lyles’ preparations since Tokyo, including lifting more weights in the gym, all culminate with the Paris Olympics this summer and the stage is certainly set for the recently crowned Men’s World Athlete of the Year to write his name into the history books.