SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — All the overhead shots and race replays tell the same story. Noah Lyles only led one time during his Olympic 100-meter sprint for the ages: at the finish line.
There’s a good argument that the rest of his stay at these Paris Games won’t be anywhere near as nip-and-tuck.
With the Olympics still abuzz over his .005-second victory in the 100, Lyles didn’t have much time to rest before moving to his next event. He is a heavy favorite in the 200 meters, his better race, and a race he has not lost since the Olympic final in Tokyo three years ago, where he finished third. Opening heats for the 200 were set for Monday night.
Lyles’ willingness — make that, desire — to be the front man for a sport that yearns for new fans feels like a game-changer to Seb Coe, the World Athletics president who called Sunday’s race “if not perfect, about as close to perfect as you can get.”
“If I’m wearing a promoter’s hat, then him winning last night was important, because he’s now creating a narrative that’s heading us back into Usain Bolt territory,” Coe said. “That’s hugely important.”
Lyles not shy about what he wants from all this
In a typically candid and engaging post-race news conference, Lyles made no secret that he is in this to promote his sport, but also wants more.
He has been a front man for the popular Netflix documentary “SPRINT,” and has brought a sense of fashion back to the track, making “walk-ins” a thing and bedazzling his hair with white pearls on race day.
Now, he’s got a message for his shoe sponsor, Adidas.
“I want my own shoe,” he said. “I want my own trainer. I’m dead serious. I want a sneaker. There ain’t no money in spikes, there’s money in sneakers. I feel like for how many medals we bring back and the notoriety we get, the fact that hasn’t happened, that’s crazy for me. I feel like that needs to happen.”
What could slow down Lyles in his quest for Olympic sprint glory?
The 100 was the biggest hurdle for Lyles to overcome. It is not his best race, and it’s the one he took up shortly after Tokyo with the goal of becoming more than a mere sprinter, but a larger-than-life personality, both on and off the track.
Lyles also figures to feature prominently in the men’s 4×100 relay but that’s anything but a gimme.
Riddled with poor work with the baton, a lack of consistent training habits, a doping positive and the constant spectre of trying to beat Bolt, the U.S. has not won, and kept, a single Olympic medal in this event since 2004. It hasn’t captured gold since 2000.
He’ll have challengers in the 200 meters, but he’s hard to beat
The relay is a bigger threat to Lyles’ quest to win three gold medals, the way Bolt did in all three of his appearances, than the 200 meters.
Lyles figures to get his biggest challenge in the 200 from Kenny Bednarek, who finished ahead of Lyles in Tokyo and, more recently, pushed him at a fast Olympic trails that Lyles won in 19.53.
Botswana’s Letsile Tobogo, American Erryion Knighton and defending champion Andre De Grasse are also in the mix. One interesting wager would be whether Lyles has more of a chance of losing the race or lowering his American record of 19.31. Bolt’s world record is 19.19.
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