After a stellar performance at last year’s world championships, Noah Lyles has secured his Olympic gold medal.
The Gainesville, Fla., native, who has long been vocal about his ambitions, demonstrated his prowess by clinching the men’s 100-meter final in Paris on Sunday.
Lyles finished the race in a personal best of 9.79784 seconds, emerging victorious by a mere five-thousandths of a second.
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Noah Lyles of Team United States celebrates during the Men’s 100m Round 1 on day eight of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 03, 2024 in Paris, France. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
A lengthy review of the photo finish was required to officially declare Lyles as the champion, as he watched closely alongside Jamaican Kishane Thompson.
Lyles has now become the first American to win this event at the Olympics since Justin Gatlin in 2004, marking it as the fifth gold medal secured by Americans on Sunday (following wins by golfer Scottie Scheffler, cyclist Kristen Faulkner, swimmer Bobby Finke, and the women’s 4×100 medley relay team).
The 27-year-old clocked a 9.83 in the semifinal, automatically qualifying after finishing second in that race. He faced some criticism for that second-place finish in his heat, claiming that his “plan” was to secure first place from then on. Despite not achieving that, it hardly matters now, as he triumphed when it was most critical.
Many will argue he has invited criticism upon himself, particularly after suggesting that NBA champions cannot refer to themselves as world champions. This statement has arguably led to him being disliked by American sports fans just as much, if not more, than he is appreciated. However, perhaps this win will shift public opinion in his favor.
Noah Lyles of Team United States reacts during the Men’s 100m Semi-Final on day nine of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 04, 2024 in Paris, France. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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Lyles now turns his attention to the 200m event (he has stated that his “dream goal” is to surpass Usain Bolt’s world record of 19.19) and the 4x100m relay. His participation in the 4x400m relay is still uncertain, but he was part of the silver-medal winning team at this year’s world indoor championships.
In a March interview with Fox News Digital, Lyles shared that a friend encouraged him, saying, “‘Forget three, you need to go after four. Do something no one’s ever done.’
“When we discuss what it takes to be considered the greatest, those are the achievements you must secure. Hence, I declared that this is a goal for me; why not pursue it on the grandest stage, the Olympics?” he reflected on potentially competing in a fourth event.
Track legend Carl Lewis recently remarked to Fox News Digital that the sport “needs” Lyles to excel in these games.
“The sport requires someone like him—someone who is a champion,” Lewis stated. “He’s the defending champion and currently the fastest man on the planet. We need a figure to rally behind. I believe he’s that individual, and I’m thrilled about it,” Lewis said in a recent discussion.
Noah Lyles of Team United States after finishing second in the men’s 100m semi-final at the Stade de France during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Sam Barnes/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
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“I believe track excels when we have a superstar. If Noah clinches a victory, it would elevate the sport,” Lewis commented. “Instead of questioning who might win, fans would rally behind him—or against him. They want to cheer for someone or root against someone. This creates an intensity that has historically drawn people to the sport when an athlete dominates…”
One win down—at least two more to follow.
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