Before American professional track and field star Noah Lyles won his first Olympic gold medal, New York Knicks guard Josh Hart tweeted that he wasn't a fan of him. However, Lyles pulled off an electric finish to secure the win in the 100-meter race on Sunday and Hart posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the sprinter had a clear position to talk smack for as much as he likes.
The directed tweet was in response to X user A (@adryanashton), who wanted to see how Lyles would stack up in the 200. In the 100, fans weren't sure who won after every sprinter reached the finish line. Following a review, it was clear that the American star edged out his competitors.
"Lol nah he an Olympic gold medalist," Hart posted. "He can talk for life."
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Before he responded to the fan, the Knicks guard tweeted "Respect." after Noah Lyls' Olympic gold win was secured.
Lyles ran into some criticism from basketball fans in August when he commented about being displeased with how NBA title winners are branded as "World Champions." He argued that NBA teams only go toe-to-toe with American and Canadian cities as opposed to track and field athletes who put forth their best work on an international stage.
It was the kind of comment that started an online debate on whether there was any merit to it.
Following the win, the sprinter even had Josh Hart handing out praises about how he was able to back up all the talking he did. Noah Lyles' victory marks the first time in 20 years since the USA brought home the gold medal in the Olympic men's 100-meter race.
Aside from Josh Hart, Lakers legend also gave credit to Noah Lyles' electric gold medal finish in Olympic 100-meter race
It wasn't just Josh Hart who congratulated Noah Lyles but Lakers legend Magic Johnson made sure that he credited the track and field star's latest accomplishment. He shared his comments on X, which garnered 1.3 million views and 11,000 likes on the platform.
"We're all on the yacht cheering for Noah Lyles after winning the Men's 100 meter race and remaining the fastest man in the world," Johnson posted. "It's the first time in 20 years that the US brings home the gold medal in the Men's 100! Wow — what an exciting race. @LylesNoah."
Aside from Magic Johnson and Josh Hart, even Dwyane Wade shared his enthusiasm for Lyles' Olympic victory. Wade highlighted his approval of the painted nails that Lyles showcased in pictures taken of him after the win. It was a testament to the kind of competitor that Lyles is as he is more than capable of proving the doubters wrong.
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