Track and Field Athlete Noah Lyles finally has an Olympic gold medal to his name. On Sunday, in a stunning display of speed and athleticism, the sprinter etched his name in the annals of history, becoming the fastest man in the world. Noah Lyles bagged the closest-ever Olympics 100m finals win, emerging victorious by only five-thousandths of a second. Initially, Lyles believed he had left it too late to catch the powerful Jamaican sprinter Kishane Thompson. Clips showed the 27-year-old walking to the Jamaican to congratulate him after the race. However, the results appeared on the big screen one after the other, with Lyles earning the gold medal.
It turns out he crossed the finish line in 9.784 seconds, ahead of Thompson’s 9.79 seconds by the width of a vest. The 27-year-old’s victory marked the first time an American bagged the Olympic gold medal for the 100m finals since Justin Gaitlin in 2004. Speaking about his victory during an interview, Noah Lyles said it was the 100m finals Olympic gold medal he wanted.
“It’s the one I wanted, it’s the hard battle, it’s the amazing opponents. I didn’t do this against a slow field – I did this against the best of the best,” he said.
Lyles wasn’t wrong, considering that the race was the first time in history that seven men crossed the finish line in under 9.90 seconds. Following his breathtaking victory, Lyles took to social media with an inspirational message. In a tweet, Lyles let the world know he was battling various health issues. However, he encouraged his followers not to let their challenges define what they could become.
“I have Asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and Depression. But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!” he wrote.
Lyles’s words touched many, who took to the comments section to air their thoughts. Some X users opened up about their health challenges, revealing that Lyles’s post inspired them to chase their dreams. Others congratulated Noah Lyles on his Olympic gold medal. They added that he made America proud and has a place in history forever. Meanwhile, Lyles is also an Olympic bronze medalist and a six-time world champion.