Sprint star Noah Lyles is known as an outspoken athlete. On Monday, he spoke openly about his challenges at a press conference in Paris.
PARIS. When the US track and field stars arrive for a news conference at the Paris Press Center, the event is electrifying. Especially not when there is Noah Lyles.
– Champs are here! (Finnish. The champions are here!), Lyles exclaims loudly as he steps in front of the media with four other top US track and field athletes.
Lyles, 27, is a six-time World Cup sprint gold medalist and the reigning world champion in both the 100m and 200m. He is also known as a showman who wants to be the face of athletics. It has been boosted by the six-part series Sprint, released on Netflix in the spring, in which Lyles is one of the main stars.
Transparency is an integral part of Lyles. He has talked about, among other things, his challenges with his mental health.
– I can finally say that I will compete in the Olympics without depression. I feel great. I feel much, much joy.
– In moments like this, I can look back on the last Olympics and say that this time things are different – and I’m ready to show it, says Lyles.
Three therapists
Lyles comes across as confident, but he says he’s constantly working to keep his mind balanced.
– I have three therapists: one for everyday life, one for sports and one to deal with grief.
Like athletes with star status, Lyles enjoys the attention and crowds. There is also a fundamental reason for that.
Lyles suffered from severe, life-threatening asthma attacks in his early childhood. He was rushed to the hospital numerous times at night. Even though scenes are already far behind in life, in competitions he finds being the center of people’s attention a natural and safe environment.
– If there is no audience, the probability of my loss is at its highest, says Lyles.
Lyles is especially known as a 200m specialist who has won the distance in three World Championships in a row. The only loss in the prestigious competition in the last five years is from the Tokyo Olympics, where the organizers did not allow the public due to the corona pandemic.
A new attitude
However, according to Lyles, his biggest problem in Tokyo was his obsession with winning.
– Normally, I’m behind the starting stands ready to start the show. In Tokyo, the fun shined through its absence.
He largely attributes the wins since then to a change in attitude. Its manifestation is the hat worn by Lyles, which the US athletes who passed the Olympic qualifying screening received from their country’s sports administration.
– This is my favorite hat. It’s been in my head practically since I got on the team. The hat reminds me to stay in the moment and enjoy it. That this is above all fun, says Lyles.
The shadow side
The Paris Olympics have also taught Lyles something new. The success and the Netflix series have made Lyles one of the most famous figures in the athletes’ competition village. It has brought its own challenges.
– Unlike the last Olympics, it’s hard for me to find a quiet space in the competition village. I wouldn’t want to live elsewhere, but after these games I’m going to talk about it with the team management.
Lyles illuminates his situation with a concrete example.
– I find myself eating at unusual times in the corners of the competition canteen, so that I can be in peace with my girlfriend and enjoy the meal.
– In these Olympics, the most important thing for me is that I talk about my feelings. Unlike the last Olympics, I want to be open to my teammates and loved ones, says Lyles.