"He is going to shock some people"- Justin Gatlin backs Noah Lyles for 'historic' 200m performances at Paris Olympics 2024

Noah Lyles has been in dominant form in 2024. The world champion was just 0.02s shy of his personal best over the 100m, and over the 200m, he ran his fastest season opener ever, that too against the wind. Seeing his performances so far, 2004 Olympic Champion, Justin Gatlin, believes Lyles could ‘shock’ people this year, at the Paris Olympics, particularly over the half-lap event.

Lyles broke his 60m indoor personal best twice in 2024 in a month. He also beat world record holder Christian Coleman for the USATF Indoor 60m title, and when he opened his outdoor season, the 26-year-old carried on his dominant run to secure a victory in his 100m opener at Tom Jones Memorial 2024.

The world champion has now improved to a season’s best of 10.85s over the distance. Lyles also tied for the 150m American record before racing 200m, his premier event. The 26-year-old clocked a blistering 19.77s at the NYC Grand Prix in a negative wind of 1.6, and after watching that, former American sprinter Justin Gatlin believes Lyles could ‘shock’ some people with his 200m performances.

Speaking with former Bahamian sprinter Rodney Green on his podcast ‘Ready Set Go’, Gatlin said:

“With that wind suppressing what he really could run, he going shock some people in the next couple of 200s for sure”. (at 58:00)

Rodney Green claimed that Noah Lyles could have run 19.5, had the negative wind not suppressed his speed. With the performances he has shown this year, the world champion could be up for a ‘historic’ campaign at the Paris Olympics 2024, Green declared and Gatlin agreed.

“Absolutely,” Gatlin said. (59:00)

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Noah Lyles is eying a ‘historic’ feat at Paris Olympics 2024

2024 USATF NYC Grand Prix

Noah Lyles won three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay events, becoming the first to do so since Usain Bolt in 2015. As he gears up for the Paris Olympics 2024, he has set his sights on a historic feat of four gold medals. None of the sprinters have been able to achieve this, and that's why Lyles wants to do it. Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on 'The Tonight Show', Lyles said,

“Everyone knows Usain Bolt; I want to be faster and more decorated than Bolt. He’s won three. I want four, that’s the Mount Rushmore–now you’re the greatest of the great.” (4:00-4:30)

Only Florence Griffith-Joyner has come close to the feat with four medals at the 1988 Olympic Games, where she won the gold in 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay and a silver in the 4x400m relay.

However, Noah Lyles has run the 400m only twice in his career. It will be interesting to see whether he will be called up for the 400m relays, especially after the drama that unfolded at the World Athletic Indoor Championships 2024.