Noah Lyles overcomes health battles, clinches Olympic gold
Noah Lyles, Olympic gold medalist in the 100 meters, shared an inspiring thought with his fans. Overcoming asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression, he proves that health obstacles do not have to define our capabilities.
6:54 AM EDT, August 6, 2024
American sprinter Noah Lyles dominated the 100 meters, winning the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He defeated Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson in an extraordinarily close final by just five-thousandths of a second. It was the most competitive Olympic final in the 100 meters, with all participants running the distance in under 10 seconds.
Noah Lyles opens up about his struggles with depression
However, Lyles did not only defeat other sprinters; he also overcame significant personal challenges. After his victory, he openly spoke about his struggles with health issues. He shared his inspiring thought on the platform X.
In an interview with TIME, the sprinter admitted that dealing with asthma was particularly tough during the COVID-19 pandemic: "I could barely talk. I was so tired. All the time. Even thinking was a drain. It felt like you were almost in a constant asthma attack."
In his youth, Lyles also had to confront bullying at school, which he described as "an emotional beating, that’s the stuff that really breaks you down." Despite these difficulties, Lyles did not give up and continued his path to success. Before the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, where he won a bronze medal in the 200 meters, he struggled with depression and used antidepressant medications.
Overcame obstacles to become the fastest
Lyles' gold in the 100 meters adds to his Tokyo bronze in the 200 meters. It was the first time in 20 years that an American won the Olympic gold medal in the 100 meters. "It's the hard battle, it's the amazing opponents, it's everybody's healthy, everybody came prepared for the fight," Lyles said after his victory. His time of 9.79 seconds is a personal record, highlighting that he is one of the fastest people in the world.
The President of World Athletics, Sebastian Coe, described the 100-meter final as "close to perfection" and praised Lyles for his exceptional performance. "Well, if it's not perfect, it's about as close to perfect as you'll get," Coe said. He also emphasized that Lyles is becoming the face of athletics, comparing him to Usain Bolt.
Noah Lyles does not intend to rest on his laurels. His gold medal in the 100 meters is just one of many goals he has set for himself. He wants to continue inspiring and supporting others, showing that everyone can overcome their difficulties and succeed. "I had to take every round as it was and I was a little upset after the first round, so I came with the aggression and... I ran 9.83 [in the semi-final]. I hope you guys like Noah because I've got a lot more coming," he assured after winning the gold.
