"Blessed and highly favored" - Noah Lyles grateful as he celebrates 27th birthday ahead of Paris Olympics

Noah Lyles, the reigning triple world champion preparing for his second Olympic Games in Paris, recently expressed his gratitude for being blessed while sharing glimpses of his stylish persona during his 27th birthday celebration.

Lyles has qualified for the Paris Olympics following a dominant athletic display at the US Olympic Trials in June. The Florida-based runner won both the 100m and 200m finals to secure his berth in the Team United States for the French Games. He posted a time of 9.83 seconds in the 100m finals and clocked a season-best of 19.53 seconds in the 200m finals to complete the Olympic qualification double at Hayward Field Stadium in Eugene.

He will be entering the Stade de France as a reigning triple world champion, and has boldly stated that he is coming to win not just one, not two, but four gold medals at the Paris Olympics. With only eight days left in the quadrennial event, Noah Lyles is giving final touches to his preparations.

Just ahead of his big outing in Paris, the Gainesville native celebrated his 27th birthday on Thursday, July 18. The sprinter posted a series of pictures on his Instagram handle, flaunting his fashionista avatar while penning down a special message for himself. He wrote:

"27 years around the sun and I don’t take any of those days for granted. BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED!"

A look at Noah Lyles' notable performances from Tokyo to Paris Olympics

2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - Day 8

Noah Lyles made his Olympics debut in Tokyo, where he was considered a top contender for gold in the 200m event, but he had to settle for a bronze instead. However, he went on to redeem himself from the disappointment and broke the 200m national record.

At the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Lyles reigned supreme in the 200m finals, winning the race in a new personal best and American record of 19.31 seconds. With this, he became the third-fastest 200m runner in the world after Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.

At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, the 27-year-old joined an elite list of runners to complete a world championship triple. He once again put his blistering pace on display and won the 100m finals in 9.83 seconds. Then, in his second event of the competition, he successfully defended his 200m title after winning the finals in 19.52 seconds. Furthermore, he also helped his US team win the 4x100 relay finals to achieve the triple triumph.

At this year's Paris Olympics trials, Noah Lyles broke his compatriot and former Olympic champion Michael Johnson's 28-year-old 200m record trial record of 19.66 seconds as he finished the race in 19.53 seconds.