EUGENE, Ore. — A Night of Spectacle at Hayward Field

On a balmy evening in Eugene, Oregon, Hayward Field, an iconic venue in track-and-field history, was ablaze with anticipation. The setting sun cast a golden hue over the stadium, where thousands of spectators gathered, their excitement palpable as they awaited a thrilling event. The atmosphere was charged with an electric sense of expectation, suggesting that a memorable performance was imminent.

The 100-meter final at the U.S. Olympic trials in June was set to be a highlight of the evening. The runners, a constellation of elite American sprinters, were lined up in their starting blocks. Among them were Kenny Bednarek, silver medalist in the 200 meters from the Tokyo Olympics, and Christian Coleman, the world record holder in the 60 meters. The remaining lanes were occupied by other formidable competitors, each an expert in their field, all vying for a coveted spot on the Olympic team.

Yet, one prominent athlete was notably absent from this lineup: Noah Lyles.

As the crowd settled, the rhythmic beats of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” reverberated through the stadium, its iconic rhythm—boom boom clap, boom boom clap—adding to the charged atmosphere. This anthemic backdrop set the stage for the dramatic events that were about to unfold. Lyles, renowned for his flamboyant style and charismatic presence, made his entrance with characteristic flair. Adorned with a pearl necklace and a striking red tracksuit—delivered to the stadium in a silver briefcase by rapper Snoop Dogg—Lyles burst onto the scene with an exuberant performance.

The energy of the crowd surged as Lyles ran down the track, his every gesture and leap inviting the audience to share in his enthusiasm. While his competitors maintained their focus and composure, Lyles’s dynamic display further invigorated the crowd. He encouraged the spectators to mirror his intensity, creating a vibrant interaction between athlete and audience.

In a swift 9.83 seconds, the race concluded. Lyles crossed the finish line with a personal best, securing his place in the 2024 Paris Olympics. This victory was not merely a personal achievement but also the first step in an ambitious quest to win four gold medals—an endeavor that could surpass the legendary Usain Bolt’s record of three golds in a single Olympics.

Reflecting on the event, Lyles described the atmosphere as “definitely electric” and “responsive,” attributing the vibrant energy to the crowd’s enthusiastic engagement. “I think they all just need a little bit of a jolt,” he remarked, capturing the essence of the unique connection between himself and the audience.

Lyles: The Showman and the Athlete

Noah Lyles is not only a dominant figure in track and field but also one of the sport’s most captivating personalities. At 26, he has perfected the art of merging athletic excellence with theatrical flair. He recognizes that excelling on the track is only part of the equation; to captivate a wider sports audience, his personality must shine through.

Lyles has long embraced a distinctive style that sets him apart. His signature look includes painted fingernails, extravagant tracksuits, and flamboyant shoes. He even integrates elements of his favorite pastime, Yu-Gi-Oh!, into his routine. At the trials, Lyles showcased a rare Blue-Eyes White Dragon card before dominating his heat, playfully nodding to his personal interests.

“I don’t feel the pressure because I’m just having fun,” Lyles shared. “All I gotta do is be me. I constantly tell kids all the time, ‘Be yourself.’ And if people see me as being corny, shoot, I’m corny. But guess what? I’m winning while being corny.”

His longtime coach, Lance Brauman, supports Lyles’s expressive nature, provided it does not interfere with his training. “It’s a special quality in him. That’s what he does. He loves it and that gets him going,” Brauman remarked. “I told him before we got here, ‘Hey, at the end of the day, you gotta be you. And whatever that is, that’s what you have to do.’ He is who he is and he showed up when he’s supposed to and that’s all I can ask for.”

Overcoming Challenges and Rising Above

Lyles’s ascent to track-and-field prominence has not been without obstacles. As a child, he faced significant challenges, including a diagnosis of attention deficit disorder (ADD) and dyslexia, which made his academic life difficult. He also endured verbal abuse from classmates, which affected his self-esteem and confidence.

Despite these early setbacks, Lyles found refuge and purpose in athletics. However, his progress was further disrupted by personal and global events. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the racial reckoning following George Floyd’s murder, plunged Lyles into a profound depression. He openly discussed his struggles in the Peacock documentary “Untitled,” revealing how these events diminished his voice and desire to connect with the world.

“I just wanted to be in a corner. I was just like, ‘I need help,’” Lyles admitted. He sought therapy and began using antidepressant medication, which he credits with significantly improving his mental health. “I remember the first day of taking it. I felt like a huge boulder was just rolled off my chest,” he said. “I’m seeing the Noah that I wanted to see for months.”

From Defeat to Dominance

Although Lyles entered the 2020 Tokyo Games in peak form, an unexpected knee injury impeded his performance in the 200 meters. Despite a commendable time of 19.74 seconds, he finished behind Andre De Grasse and Bednarek, securing a bronze medal. This setback, just his second professional defeat, ignited a fierce resolve within him.

“In Tokyo, I felt like I had blown a huge opportunity,” Lyles reflected. “The more I look back at it, the more I’m like, ‘Wow, if I never had that moment happen, I never would have produced what I have done up until now.’ I don’t think there would be the drive in me as much as it has the last couple years.”

Since then, Lyles has been unstoppable. At the 2022 World Championships, he broke Michael Johnson’s 26-year-old American record in the 200 meters with a time of 19.31 seconds. He followed this achievement with a gold medal performance at the 2023 World Championships (19.52 seconds) and shattered the U.S. Olympic trials record in 2024 (19.53 seconds). He also secured first place in the 100 meters at both the 2023 World Championships (9.83 seconds) and the Olympic trials (9.83 seconds).

Ato Boldon, a four-time Olympic medalist and commentator for NBC Sports, lauded Lyles’s achievements. “Noah has to be admired for what he did,” Boldon said. “Everybody can talk about, ‘Oh, I want to get better, I’ll do anything to improve.’ He actually went and did it.”

The Path Forward

Lyles’s commitment to improvement is evident in the incremental adjustments made by his team, which have yielded significant results. For example, an increased focus on weight training has visibly transformed his physique. Brauman noted, “If you look at him, you can tell he’s a different looking body than he has had in the past. To be able to run that race and run rounds, you’re going to have to.”

Additionally, Lyles has refined his start off the blocks—a crucial aspect of sprinting. Boldon noted that earlier in his career, Lyles struggled with explosive starts. “Noah was an inconsistent starter,” he explained. “He always felt like, ‘Well, I’ll catch them back.’ At this level, you don’t catch people. So I think he realized, ‘OK, I don’t have to be the first to 20 or 30. I just have to be close enough. Nobody can stop me in the second half.’ And that’s why he’s world champion.”

At the Olympic trials, Lyles demonstrated his readiness, saying, “There wasn’t a lot of thinking. It was kind of just doing. It was a lot closer to how I feel in the 200, which is what I’ve been waiting to feel for a very long time.”

The 2024 Paris Games and Beyond

As Lyles approaches the 2024 Paris Games, he is in peak physical and mental condition. He has openly expressed his ambition to secure gold in not just one or two events, but four—aiming to surpass Bolt’s record. His goals include the 100 meters, 200 meters, and 4x100 relay, with aspirations for the 4x400 relay, despite it being less familiar terrain for him.

Lyles’s lofty ambitions reflect his evolution from a talented athlete to a potential Olympic legend. “I’m doing it because I have fun. I do it because it’s enjoyable. I have joy when I’m here,” he explained. “That’s the energy that I try to create and I try to keep going. I know when it gets tough and it gets hard and I think it’s too much, it’s like, ‘Hey, this isn’t supposed to be that serious. This is just running. I’m just here to run.’”

In the end, Lyles’s confidence and joyful approach underscore his readiness to make an indelible mark on Olympic history. “All I gotta do is be me. And I’m pretty damn good at being me,” he said, embodying the spirit of an athlete who has transformed challenges into triumphs and enjoyment into unparalleled success.