"He isn’t afraid to lose"- Legendary athlete Michael Johnson weighs in on Noah Lyles dominating the 100m final and qualifying for the Paris Olympics

Legendary athlete Michael Johnson recently weighed in on Noah Lyles' incredible dominance in the 100m at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Lyles won the 100m finals by clocking a time of 9.83s and gained automatic qualification for the Paris Olympics, with Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley taking the second and third positions respectively.

Noah Lyles aimed for a double Olympic appearance at the Tokyo Olympic trials, however, he finished 7th in the 100m finals and could only qualify in the 200m. Since then, the American athlete has continued to improve extensively to be one of the most dominating athletes of present times.

Legendary athlete Michael Johnson spoke about Lyles' performance at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Johnson spoke about the current dominance of the 2023 World Champion in the track and field circuit. Pointing out such an attribute, he felt that Lyles' ability to run without the fear of losing is a defining factor that separates him from the rest of the athletes and makes him unique.

" Noah Lyles is unique. He states his goals. Puts on a show to draw attention to himself. That sets him up for tremendous criticism if he loses. He isn’t afraid to lose or the consequences of losing. You run fastest when you’re not afraid of the consequences of losing," read the caption of Johnson's tweet.

Michael Johnson reacts to Noah Lyes' first race on the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials

Michael Johnson speaks on Noah Lyles' first round race at 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field - Day 2

Noah Lyles appeared very calm and confident in Round 1 of the 100m at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. The American athlete took to the track dressed in all-white Adidas racing gear, with the sole aim of qualifying for the Paris Olympics.

He breezed through the first round after clocking 9.92s in the 100m. Lyles dominated the pack right from the 40m mark and held on to the lead till the final moments of the race effortlessly. Michael Johnson took to X to speak about Lyles' race in the qualifying rounds of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

"One of the easiest 9.9 I’ve seen!," he wrote.

Lyles will be competing in the 200m heats on June 27, 2024. The American athlete will be in action in his signature event at Hayward Field, where other top athletes like Christian Coleman, Fred Kerley, and Kenny Bednarek will be competing in a quest for a spot in the U.S. Olympic Team.