Perhaps, the greatest team ever assembled on the hardwood would not have come to reality if not for Noah Lyles. However, that is not the only thing that the top-ranked sprinter has accomplished in his life. There is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to him and his story is very interesting. Let’s dissect it bit by bit.

Making TV dreams a reality

Keisha Cane Bishop and Kevin Lyles both met each other at Seton Hall where they were both student-athletes. They had three children and one of them continued their legacy on the track. Noah was born on the 18th of July 1997 in Gainesville, Florida. His parents had a rocky relationship which led to a divorce. This prompted his mother to move the young Noah along with his siblings Abby and Josephus to Alexandria, Virginia.

Life was not the easiest for them as Noah started out in homeschool before eventually finding his way to Alexandria City High School (formerly TC Williams High School). However, the only constant amid all of this was his shared love for the Olympics with his family. At one point, Noah was a gymnast before he and Josephus decided that they would want to follow in the footsteps of their parents in track and field. 

Not long after, he found himself competing in the 2014 Youth Olympics for the 200-meter sprint. He also notched 2.03 meters on the high jump back in 2015 which made him the High School Boys Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News. His dominance continued as he won gold medals in USA Junior Championships and Arcadia Invitational.

Setbacks redirect all-time greats

Noah Lyles decided to go for the big fish in the 2016 Olympic Trials but fell short in both the 100-meter and 200-meter. The good news was that he was instead chosen to represent Team USA in the 2016 U20 Championships where he would win the 4x100 relay and 100-meter dash. With two titles under his belt, a lot of programs wanted him but it was the Florida Gators that came out on top.

Despite the big offer to return to the place where he was born and a letter of intent waiting to be signed, Noah and Josephus went professional instead. Adidas gave them a lucrative deal and they decided to forego college altogether. This got him a Diamond League gold medal for the 200-meter for three consecutive years and one in 2019 for the 100-meter. His run at the 2018 Continental Cup also saw him win gold medals in the 100-meter and 4x100. He also settled for silver at Nassau for the 4x200 and at Yokohama for the 4x100.

It was clear that Team USA would gladly have him in their ranks come the Tokyo Olympics but fate would still hold him back quite a bit. Noah ended up only winning bronze in the 200-meter and ended up distraught. He then came back stronger in preparation for Paris.

Flipped switch

The 2022 World Champions were going to be held at Team USA’s home grounds and they did not have the luxury to disappoint. Noah Lyles delivered by earning gold in the 200-meter and making a run for silver at the 4x100 relay. He then came back stronger the next year in Budapest where he won gold in the 100-meter, 200-meter, and 4x100 relay.

Coach Lance Brauman was surely going to reap all the accolades with how Noah was performing. The young sprinter became the top-ranked sprinter in the 100-meter and 200-meter at this point and the gold medals in Paris were his to lose.

His performances were a bit underwhelming at the 2024 World Indoor Championships as he only got to two silvers and failed to secure a gold. However, Noah did get better during the World Relays where he notched gold in the 4x100.

The biggest challenge of his career was definitely in Paris. Noah had a microscope over him after criticizing NBA Champions for not being true world champions. A lot of fans were ready to hurl all sorts of vitriol toward him but he cushioned the blow by winning the 100-meter but settling for bronze in the 200-meter.

As of the moment, he still has a lot to give in the sport and even more anime references to make before he sprints. His earnings from VISA, Comcast, Celsius, Adidas, and Omega have helped him amass a net worth of $5 million.