Noah Lyles
Noah Lyles is an accomplished American track and field athlete, renowned for his exceptional abilities in sprinting, particularly in the 100 meters and 200 meters events. Born in 1997 in Gainesville, Florida, he grew up in a family with a strong athletics background, as both of his parents were track runners at Seton Hall University. Lyles was inspired to pursue track and field at the age of twelve after watching the 2012 Summer Olympics, despite facing challenges such as severe asthma and bullying in his youth. He quickly rose through the ranks, breaking the national high school record in the 200 meters during the 2016 US Olympic Trials.
Over his career, Lyles has achieved significant milestones, including winning gold medals at the World Championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he claimed his first Olympic gold in the 100 meters. He has also been a vocal advocate for racial justice and mental health awareness, using his platform to address these critical issues. Beyond athletics, Lyles has interests in music and fashion, even releasing music under the pseudonym Nojo18. His journey and impact extend beyond the track, making him a notable figure in both sports and social justice.
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Noah Lyles
- Born: July 18, 1997
- Place of Birth: Gainesville, Florida
Background
American track and field athlete Noah Lyles was born in Gainesville, Florida, in 1997, to Keisha Caine Bishop and Kevin Lyles. He and his brother, Josephus, grew up in Alexandria, Virginia. His parents had both run track at Seton Hall University. Lyles’ mother was a nine-time All-American and two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) champion in the 4x400-meter relay, while his father won gold in the 4x400 at the 1993 Summer Universiade.
As a child, Lyles suffered from severe asthma and was bullied in school, both of which motivated him to excel athletically. He played basketball and softball, and also excelled at the trampoline in gymnastics class. He transitioned to track and field at the age of twelve, inspired by the 2012 Summer Olympics. His father coached track in Maryland and often took his sons to practices. It was not long before Lyles was devoting most of his effort to running track.
Lyles’ father coached him and his brother during the early years of Lyles’ athletic career. Both boys were consistently the best short sprinters for their ages. Lyles went to T. C. Williams High School (later renamed Alexandria City High School) in Alexandria, Virginia. During the 2016 US Olympic Trials, he became the national high school record holder in the 200 meters with a time of 20.09, a record that stood for more than three decades.
Life’s Work
Lyles has competed in many events throughout his track and field career, including the 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 meters, various relay events, and high jump, but he has become most known for his extraordinary talent for sprinting. In 2014, he won the gold medal in the 200 meters during the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. In 2015, he was the US Junior Champion in the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints and the Pan Am Junior Champion in the 200-meter race.
In 2016, Lyles decided to forgo college and turn professional, signing a deal with Adidas. This decision proved to be pivotal as he quickly made a name for himself on the international stage. He won gold medals in the 100 meters and 4x100-meter relay at the 2016 World U20 Championships in Poland. While a high school senior, he finished fourth in the 200 meters during the US Olympic Trials, which was just outside of qualifying for the US team for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Lyles earned his first senior national title in New Mexico in March 2017. He ran the 300 meters in a world’s-best time of 31.87 seconds at the US Indoor Track and Field Championships. One of Lyles’ most significant achievements came at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar. He won gold in the 200 meters with a time of 19.83 seconds, establishing himself as one of the fastest men in the world. He also anchored the US team in the 4x100-meter relay, earning gold with his teammates.
Lyles was the 2021 US Olympic Trials Champion in the 200 meters and went on to win the bronze in the event at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was World Champion in the 200-meter race for the second time in 2022, breaking Michael Johnson’s American record of 19.32 seconds. Lyles ran it in 19.31 seconds, making him the third-fastest male to ever run the event. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, he completed a feat known as the sprint treble by winning gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and the 4x100 meters relay.
Lyles further solidified his status as a dominant force in track and field at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He won gold in the 100 meters in a thrilling photo finish, capturing his first Olympic gold medal. He also secured a bronze in the 200 meters.
Impact
Lyles has achieved various world records, including the US National High School record in the 200 meters and the World Indoor record in the 300 meters. In 2022, he became the third-fastest athlete to run the 200 meters. He was also an American record holder in the 4x100-meter relay.
Lyles has been an outspoken advocate for racial justice and the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. After George Floyd was killed by police officers, Lyles spoke out on social media about the difficulties Black athletes face when calling out racial injustice. Before the 100-meter final at the Olympic trials, he raised his fist in support of BLM. In response, the International Olympic Committee announced a rule change for athletes who wanted to protest during the Olympic Games, saying that they could express their views on the field of play prior to the start of the competition, when speaking to the media, during press conferences, and through social media. Lyles was also vocal about mental health awareness, openly discussing his struggles with anxiety and depression.
Personal Life
In addition to running, Lyles was passionate about music, art, video games, anime, and fashion. A budding rapper, he released a song with Olympic pole vaulter Sandi Morris. He has released his music on Spotify and other streaming sites under the pseudonym Nojo18. He released his first full-length album in April 2020.
Bibliography
Lock, Samantha. “Who Is Noah Lyles? Age, Girlfriend and Rapping Career of Olympic 200m Sprinter.” Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2021, www.newsweek.com/who-noah-lyles-age-olympics-200m-sprint-girlfriend-rapper-1613780. Accessed 9 May 2023.
“Noah Lyles.” Olympics.com, olympics.com/en/athletes/noah-lyles. Accessed 30 Aug. 2024.
“Noah Lyles.” USA Track & Field, www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/noah-lyles. Accessed 30 Aug. 2024.
Weese, Lukas. “A Man of Many Interests, Olympian Noah Lyles Is Now Only Focused on Winning the 200-meter Dash.” Andscape, 15 July 2021, andscape.com/features/a-man-of-many-interests-olympian-noah-lyles-is-now-only-focused-on-winning-the-200-meter-dash/. Accessed 9 May 2023.