Noah Lyles has outlined his objectives for the upcoming year and explained why he won’t be holding back this time.
Lyles’s commitment to keeping his word is one of his strongest traits.
The 26-year-old sprinting phenom shot to fame this year when he made a groundbreaking victory at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. He was the first to achieve three gold medals in three disciplines—100-meter, 200-meter, and 4×100-meter—since the legendary Usain Bolt, and that is a feat that’s very hard to replicate.
But Lyles did it anyway, no matter how hard it was, because he made it his goal. If one recalls, Lyles had made it publicly known that he was set on achieving the double (100-meter and 200-meter) a few weeks before the World Championships.
Noah Lyles: ‘I was too lenient on myself’
“I mean, we haven’t had a doubler since (Usain) Bolt, and it’s about time we have one – why not me?”
And now, just before the year ends, Lyles has made another bold move. In his interview with Men’s Health, Lyle stated that he now has his objectives for the upcoming year, with the primary goal being the much-coveted gold medal in the Paris Olympics.
But before looking ahead to his future, Lyles gave his former self a final nod in the interview, recounting how all this time his doubts about himself have held him back.
“I feel like I was too lenient on myself with my goals.”
Lyles says that he got to a point last year where he undermined his capabilities and said that he only made it his goal to snag a double because he thought he wouldn’t have the energy if he decided to do more. However, realizing that he had juice left in the tank after the 100-meter event, he decided to try and go out and win a triple instead of just a double.
New thinking
This time, Lyles stated that he won’t be thinking ‘that way anymore’.
In the interview, the 26-year-old also talked about how his confidence developed and evolved with time. He remembers how, compared to other kids his age, he struggled with additional challenges like ADD, asthma, dyslexia, learning impairments, and bullying when he was at school and lacked confidence.
However, as he got out of the school system, Lyles was finally able to break free, enter the sports world, and find his confidence.
Cover Photo: IG