Few members of Team USA have the talent to take over the 2024 Summer Olympics like sprinter Noah Lyles, who appears to be peaking at just the right time.
Lyles posted a personal record time of 9.81 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the final Diamond League event in front of a crowd of 60,000 fans in London on July 20.
“That was fun,” Lyles told ESPN. “I could have had a better start, but the transitions were great and coming away with a PB, this has been what I prayed for and what I wanted.”
Lyles won a bronze medal in the 2020 Olympics in the 200-meter dash and will be competing in the Olympics in Paris to sweep the 100 and 200 meters — a feat pulled off by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt at the Olympics in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
Lyles’ 100 time was the third-fastest in the world this year behind Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson (9.77 seconds) and Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala (9.79 seconds).
“I’m going to win (the Olympics),” Lyles told ESPN. “That’s what I always do.”
Lyles Trying to End 20-Year U.S. drought in 100, 200
It might come as a surprise to some that no member of Team USA has won a gold medal in the men’s Olympic 100-meter dash or 200-meter dash since 2004, when Shawn Crawford won the 200 and Justin Gatlin won the 100.
Canada’s Andre De Grasse is the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 200 while Italy’s Marcell Jacobs is the reigning gold medalist in the 100. Lyles has the American record in the 200 at 19.31 seconds in 2022.
Lyles is already a six-time world champion, with three world titles in the 200 and one in the 100, including a sweep of both in 2023 at the World Championships in Budapest.
The men’s 100 final at the Olympic is Aug. 4, followed by the men’s 200 final on Aug. 8.
Lyles More Known For Weird Comments Than Talent
Unfortunately for Lyles, 27 years old, he’s more known at this point in his career for some off-the-wall commentary he made about the NBA in 2023.
Speaking with reporters after he swept the 100 and 200 at the World Championships in Budapest in 2023, Lyles questioned why NBA players called themselves “world champions” after winning the NBA Finals.
“World champion of what? The United States? Don’t get me wrong, I love the US, at times, but that ain’t the world,” Lyles said. “… We have almost every country out here fighting, thriving, putting on their flag to show they are represented. There ain’t no flags in the NBA.”
The NBA has teams in the United States and Canada and has featured the best players from around the world for over 20 years — there actually hasn’t been an American-born winner of the NBA Most Valuable Player award since James Harden in 2018.
While Lyles later claimed to be making the comments tongue-in-cheek, the response from NBA stars was predictable — and hilarious in some cases.
“Somebody help this brother,” three-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time NBA champion, current Team USA member and Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant wrote on Instagram.
“When being smart goes wrong,” four-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green wrote on Instagram.
“Whatever,” Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon wrote on Instagram. “I’m smoking buddy in the 200m.”
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Team USA Star Posts PR in 100-Meter Dash Ahead of Olympics