“I’m Fred Kerley and it’s my title. If Noah’s running 9.65, I’m running faster" - Fred Kerley raises the bar for men's 100m in Budapest

Fred Kerley and Noah Lyles took curiosity for the men's 100m race up the notch in Budapest. The race for "The Fastest Man in the World" is always an intriguing one to watch.

A few days back, Noah Lyles took to social media to disclose his goals for the 2023 World Athletics Championships. He declared to complete the 100m sprint in 9.65 seconds to become the third fastest man, only behind Usain Bolt's 9.58 and Tyler Gay's 9.69 seconds.

In the press conference held at the National Athletics Center in Budapest, a banter between the American sprinters was witnessed when Kerley said:

“I’m Fred Kerley and it’s my title. If Noah’s running 9.65, I’m running faster.

Lyles, sitting on the other end of the table, hurled back:

“That’s what they all say until they get beat.”

Kerley's personal best in the 100m is 9.76 seconds, which he achieved in 2022 in Eugene, Oregon. Lyles' personal best in 100m is 9.86 seconds, which he created in May 2019.

Kerley won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he ran in 9.84 seconds. At the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon, he won a gold medal, leaving Marvin Bracy behind with a time of 9.86 seconds.

Fred Kerley's net worth, salary, and endorsements

Fred Kerley during the press conference held at the National Athletics Centre ahead of the 2023 World Athletics Championships on August 18, 2023, in Budapest, Hungary

The silver medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is a big name in the athletics world. He has a record of running sub-10 in the 100m, sub-20 in the 200m, and sub-44 in the 400m events.

His successful career has helped him amass a huge fortune for himself. His net worth is estimated to be $5 million in 2023. He earned $22,500 for finishing second on the podium in Tokyo.

Kerley went into partnership with Nike, PACE (a sports management and marketing company), and CXP. In 2023, he signed a huge deal with the leading sports apparel manufacturer, Asics, ahead of the Budapest World Championships. Kerley also went in partnership with TAG Heuer in 2023 before the Championships.

Kerley has a following of one million on Instagram and 43.1k on Twitter. Kerley hails from a sporting family. His brother, Jeremy Kerley, played as a wide receiver for the New York Jets in NFL. Kerley also enjoys farming and admits to gardening for mental peace.