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Noah Lyles accepts the criticism he faced during the Paris 2024 Olympics and puts himself in all-time class of LeBron James.
For the first time since his controversial Paris 2024 Olympics outing, Noah Lyles has come out to speak on the criticisms he has faced, getting sick with COVID before the 200m final, and why he's in the league of all-time greats as LeBron James.
The famous American speedster blazed his way to the Olympic 100m title in a new Personal Best (PB) of 9.79s, thus strengthened his bragging rights claim as the world's fastest man and regained USA's first gold medal in the event in 20 years.
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He was primed to add the 200m title to his iconic collections, being his trademark event, and join the all-time greats such as Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt to have achieved such a feat.
Unfortunately, Lyles tested positive for COVID two days before the 200m final, which hampered his fitness and chances as he succumbed to the supremacy of Botswana's Letsile Tebogo and Kenny Bednarek by settling for the bronze medal.
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00:50 - 09.08.2024
'This is not the Olympics I dreamed of' - Noah Lyles reflects on 200m loss, congratulates Tebogo and Bednarek
With an unexpected defeat in the men's 200m final at Paris 2024 Olympics, Noah Lyles had little yet so much to say reflecting on his loss to Letsile Tebogo.
After his loss and post-race revelation of being sick with COVID, yet still decided to run the race, Lyles has been an object of criticism, with some fans even calling for his arrest on social media platforms like X.
In an interview with Reuters, the 27-year-old world 100m champion opened on criticism during his impressive yet rollercoaster campaign at the Paris Olympics.
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22:25 - 11.08.2024
'One of the scariest moments of my life' - Noah Lyles' mum recalls helpless moment of watching her son gasp for air after 200m final
Following her son's collapse on the track struggling to breathe after Paris 2024 Olympics 200m final, Noah Lyles' mum finally opens up on the helpless situation, which was one of the scariest moments of her life.
“If you throw yourself out there, there's always going to be critics. I mean, you can look at anybody in history," said the American Record holder in the men's 200m event.
“You can look at LeBron James, one of the greatest basketball players, you can look at Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson - anybody who you want to say is great, there's always going to be love, and there's always going to be hate because people are going to form opinions, because you're now so high up there that they can't see you as everyday people of everyday society.
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“And I knew that going into that, and that's just what it is, but I'm very confident in myself to say no matter what anybody says, I know who I am," he added.
On why he chose to compete in the 200m final despite his health issues, Lyles said:
"That's why people are like, well, if you were sick, why did you go out there and jump around? It's like if I didn't do that, I would not have been able to encourage myself enough to get excited to run the race.
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23:33 - 11.08.2024
Noah Lyles: Olympic gold medalist responds to haters in Louis Vuitton-themed outfit worth over ₦79 MILLION
Criticism has stopped Noah Lyles from dripping in style.
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12:07 - 09.08.2024
Paris 2024 Olympics: American track legend credits Noah Lyles leadership, antics, and talent that has put athletics on world notice
Noah Lyles's leadership, antics, and talent has been praised by an American track and field legend for his impact in putting athletics on world notice.
“I had to go in tricking my mind and my body that I was going to run just as well as any other day as I was going to run that, but that's the only stuff a champion would know."
Following his bronze medal finish in the 200m, gold medallist Tebogo labeled Lyles "arrogant and loud," but the American insisted he is just misunderstood.
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Lyles withdrew from competing in the 4x100m final due to his ill health, which ended his Paris Olympic journey. With a few races left before the end of the season, the Adidas-sponsored athlete will be gunning to regain his form and end on a high to cap off a 'crazy' year.
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