Confident Lyles fully focused on Paris 100m crown

Adamant that the world’s fastest man title is awarded to the World champion or in this case the man with the Olympic 100 metres title, reigning World 100m champion Noah Lyles exuded confidence yesterday that he will claim the prize at the Paris Olympics.

Lyles was speaking at the introduction of the USA track and field team at a press conference yesterday, three days before Thursday’s start of the athletic programme begins at Paris Olympic Games. The men’s 100m has been in the spotlight not just because of the strength of the competition, but also because of Lyles and the criticism that he has brought with the world’s fastest man title. He has received criticism from members of the athletic community given that Lyles’ personal best of 9.81 seconds is not quicker than Jamaican national champion Kishane Thompson who enters the Olympic Games as the world leader with 9.77 he clocked to win at the JAAA/Puma National Junior and Senior Championships last month.

However, he said that the accolade belongs to the title holder (World or Olympic champion) and believes he is ready to add another title to his resume

“It’s me. It’s always going to be me. Everyone knows that the title goes to the Olympic champion and the World champion which I am one of and soon to be another of,” Lyles said.

Lyles’ confidence comes from him enduring the hard parts of his career, having the hard but honest conversations and being in a better space to take on all comers.

“I am facing world record holders and many world champions and people that they would just say I am not supposed to win. And here I am saying ‘OK you say I am not supposed to win. Let me throw myself into the lion’s den and forge myself out of those hard times,’” Lyles said. “So as I go into this championship, this biggest stage of the world, I’ve been at the bottom. I have fought my way back up. Now here I am stronger than before. If I lose this time it’s not going to be because I beat myself. It’s because they had to be better.”

The United States haven’t won a men’s Olympic 100m since 2004, when Justin Gatlin took the prize. Lyles has one Olympic medal, a bronze in the 200 metres at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.