American · Gainesville, Florida · Born 18 July 1997American sprinter and world record holder in the 200m, known for his charismatic personality and dominance in sprint events on the global stage.
Noah Lyles was born in Gainesville, Florida in 1997. He and his younger brother Josephus both became professional sprinters. He has been open about his diagnosis of ADHD and his mental health challenges — speaking publicly about depression, anxiety and the pressure of elite sport. He won three consecutive 200m World Championships in 2019, 2022 and 2023. At the Paris 2024 Olympics he won the 100m bronze medal after a race decided by a photo finish — he crossed the line leaning, 0.005 seconds behind Noah Thompson. He won the 4x100m relay gold. His personality — the anime references, the post-race celebrations and costumes, the superhero comparisons — has made him the most recognisable sprinter globally since Usain Bolt. His public advocacy for mental health, ADHD awareness and his criticism of the NBA's self-titled "World Champions" branding — pointing out that only American teams compete — generated significant media debate. He contracted COVID-19 during the Paris Olympics but competed in the 100m final four days after testing positive. He is the most important figure in the sport's efforts to grow its global audience beyond Olympic years.
World's fastest man in 200m, multiple World Championship titles
How They Played
Explosive acceleration with exceptional top-end speed
Lasting Impact
Dominant sprinter who revitalized American sprint supremacy
Career Honours
- World Champion 100m (2023)
- World Champion 200m 3x (2019,2022,2023)
- Olympic Bronze 100m (Paris 2024)
- Olympic Gold 4x100m (Paris 2024)
American Athletes