Forget Joe Biden and Donald Trump - is Noah Lyles the man who can make America great again?
Despite being viewed as a powerhouse in men’s sprinting, it’s actually been two decades since the United States earned a men’s sprinting gold medal at the Olympic Games.
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Justin Gatlin and Fred Kerley have come close in the 100m, while Shawn Crawford and Kenneth Bednarek have taken silver medals from the 200m, but a place at the top of the podium has eluded all of them.
There is now renewed hope in the form of Lyles, a sprinter whose talent, charisma, and determination have drawn comparisons to the legendary Usain Bolt.
As the world watches and waits, Lyles stands poised to break the 20-year gold medal drought for Team USA and perhaps carve out a legacy of his own.
Former US dominance in men’s sprinting
The United States has a storied history in track and field, particularly in sprinting.
Names like Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson are etched into the annals of Olympic history, each from a period when American sprinters were nearly unbeatable.
But the last time an American man stood atop the podium after an Olympic 100m or 200m final was at Athens 2004. Gatlin claimed gold in the 100m, while Crawford triumphed over the longer distance.
After that, Bolt completely dominated men’s sprinting, winning both the 100m and 200m at three successive Olympic Games.
The Jamaican’s record-shattering performances and irrepressible personality transformed him into a global icon, leaving little room for American sprinters to shine.
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Lyles now appears to be the solution to this problem, emerging as a gold medal favourite for the 100m and 200m at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The 26-year-old, who is the reigning world champion across both distances, became a professional athlete in 2016.
After earning 200m and 4x100m world titles for the first time in 2019, Lyles finished with a bronze medal in the 200m at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
He was disappointed with missing out on the gold medal in the Japanese capital, but he bounced back almost immediately. Another 200m world title came in 2022, before Lyles swept the 100m, 200m and 4x100m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.
The track and field star has stepped up another level this year, setting a 9.83 seconds to win the 100m at the US Olympic trials and qualify for Paris 2024.
Lyles has looked equally dominant in the 200m. He ran an event record of 19.53 seconds at the US Olympic trials, consigning Bednarek to second place.
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Drawing comparisons with Usain Bolt
Bolt’s dominance in the 100m and 200m, combined with his charismatic showmanship, set a benchmark that is extraordinarily high.
But Lyles has shown that he possesses similar qualities. He has a vibrant personality and a genuine love for entertaining the crowd, for example.
“Being able to run with passion, and a smile on your face, and turning a race into something for everybody to enjoy, that’s what I consider running with soul,” Lyles said in a recent interview with Time Magazine.
“It just means that I’m happy. I love to do what I do. And that’s a dangerous guy.”
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Lyles has been showing off his personality during the US Olympic trials, bringing out a Yu-Gi-Oh card and showing it to the camera before every race. He has previously spoken of his love of anime, as well as music, fashion and video games.
But it is on the track where Lyles truly shines. His blend of explosive speed and technical proficiency makes him a formidable competitor.
The upcoming Olympics in Paris will be a crucial juncture in Lyles’ career. With Bolt retired, men’s sprinting is now wide open, and Lyles is among the frontrunners to be his heir apparent.
The pressure is immense. Not only is Lyles vying for personal glory, but he also carries the hopes of a nation starved of sprinting success. A gold medal in the French capital could be more than just a personal achievement – it could also symbolise the resurgence of American sprinting.
Lyles has the opportunity to follow in Bolt’s footsteps and be a transformative figure in athletics. While this is an enormous task, Lyles believes he could be even more influential than Bolt, particularly in the US.
“That’s my plan,” he told Time Magazine. “I have the personality, I have the speed, I have the showmanship. I have the marketing mindset. I’m willing to be uncomfortable.”