Track Star Noah Lyles Becomes The Fastest Man In The World, Takes Home Gold In The 100-Meter Race

Men's 100m gold medallist USA's Noah Lyles poses for portraits during a studio photo session on the sidelines of the World Athletics Championships at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest on August 21, 2023. (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP) (Photo by ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images)

Track and field athlete Noah Lyles raised eyebrows when he declared he was planning to fill the spikes of arguably the greatest runner alive, Usain Bolt, by becoming the first man since 2015 to take home gold in both the 100-meter and 200-meter double at the World Athletics Championship.

Well, it seems Lyles does more than talk a good game.

The 26-year-old, two-time defending World Athletics champion in the 200-meter did what many thought was impossible by recording a personal best and world-leading 9.83-second victory in the 100-meter race on Sunday, August 20 in Budapest, Hungary. With his win, he officially became the fastest man in the world. According to World Athletics, Lyles also notched a spot on the U.S. team in the 100; earning himself a shot at a global championship.

“I knew what I had to do. I came here for three golds, ticked

off one, others are coming. The 100m was the hardest one, it is out of the books. I will have fun with the event I love now”, Lyles said after his record-breaking victory. Taking home silver and bronze medals were 20-year-old Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and Britain’s Zharnel Hughes, respectively. Lyles has been cementing himself as an unstoppable force in the 200-meter, but with his latest win, he’s proven he’s no one-trick pony.

“My documentary series will come out soon,” he said. “I talked there about doing the individual double. The reason I really wanted to do it is because nobody else deserves it more than me.” And he doesn’t plan on stopping after he reaches his goal. In fact, for Lyles, success in his sport is just the beginning. “I want to show people how far they can really go,” the Florida native said. “I don’t want them to stop at medals. Yes, medals are nice, they get your attention. That should be the first stopping point, that should be the first check off the box. After you go to medals, now you go to moving outside of the sport. After you’re outside of the sport, we go and reinvent ourselves.”