‘Parade in my city’ – Noah Lyles roars as he finally gets grand reception back home

‘Parade in my city’ – Noah Lyles roars as he finally gets grand reception back home

Joel Omotto 11:00 - 24.09.2024

Olympics champion Noah Lyles has expressed his excitement after receiving a hero’s welcome in his hometown following recent complaints over lack of recognition from Americans.

Noah Lyles was thrilled to finally get a parade in his home city following his Olympics exploits when he won gold and bronze medal.

The sprinter had previously lamented over what he termed a lack of recognition from the US following a successful outing in Paris compared to his rivals such as Letsile Tebogo of Botswana who had over 30,000 people welcome him back home.

However, at the weekend, his hometown of Alexandria, Virginia rolled out the red carpet for him while the state’s Senate organized a special event in his honour, to the delight of the sprinter.

“It's a parade in my city yeah,” Lyles posted on social media, accompanying the post with photos of him in a convoy waving to the crowd as he went across the streets.

The Senate passed a resolution commending his outstanding career, tracing his journey from Alexandria's TC Williams High School to becoming one of the fastest men in the world.

The document highlighted Lyles' early career milestones, including his victory at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games and the 2015 Pan American U20 Athletics Championships, as well as his 2019 title as the US Men's Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News.

"Noah Lyles' accomplishments are the result of his relentless hard work, world-class talent, and matchless determination, making him an inspiration for young athletes throughout the Commonwealth," the resolution read.

Born in Gainesville, Florida, Lyles was raised in Alexandria and started his sprinting career at TC Williams High School, where he burst onto the scene by setting a national high school record in the 200m during the US Olympic Trials in 2016.

He has gone on to claim three gold medals in 200m and one in 100m at the World Championships, Olympics gold in 100m as well as five Diamond League titles.

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