"I just need him to make the team first” - Noah Lyles' coach Lance Brauman opens up on his decision to run the 4x400m relay

Noah Lyles’s coach Lance Brauman recently shared his views on the American athlete’s zeal to run the quadruple at the Paris Olympics 2024.

The six-time world champion’s coach had a slightly diplomatic statement about Lyles' focus on the 4x400m relay race. More than any event, Brauman wants his champion athlete to prioritize making it to the US Team first.

In December 2023, Noah Lyles hinted that he could aim for his fourth Olympic gold medal in Paris by entering the 4x400m relay, a new category for him.

After the 2023 World Athletics Championships, the 26-year-old emerged as the reigning 100m and 200m champion. He also bagged his third gold medal in the men’s 4x100m relay race.

Lyles at 2024 USATF Indoor Championships

Recently, Lyles’s coach Lance Brauman was asked about his views on the athlete’s target to compete in the 4x400m relay race. He told USA TODAY Sports:

“In my system and how we train here, sprinters sprint. You train where you can run anything from 100 meters to 400 meters. But the emphasis for him is the 100 and 200 meters."

He added:

“Anything that comes with the relay is a country decision. Like I told him, that should be something that you do for fun. Our job is to be a 100 and 200-meter sprinter. And that’s where my focus is… I just need him to make the team first.”

Noah Lyles also took a shot at the 4x400m relay race at the recent 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. Impressively, he managed to bag the silver medal.

The athlete participated with Chris Bailey, Jacory Patterson, and Matthew Boling as Team USA. Moreover, Lyles ran the third leg in the race clocking 45.68. Ultimately, it was Team Belgium’s win over the USA as the former clocked 3:02.54, beating the latter's 3:02.60.

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Noah Lyles’s 4x400m participation at the World Athletics Indoor Championships met with criticism

Lyles at World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 2024 - Day One

Noah Lyles might have enjoyed giving the 4x400m race at the World Indoor Championships a go but his participation was not appreciated by many.

Lyles had only informed his fans about his participation in the 60m race ahead of the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow. Seeing him compete in the 4x400m relay event surprised many and his sudden addition to the category was criticized by a section of fans and athletes.

American athlete Fred Kerley openly retorted at USATF for allowing Lyles’s participation. He wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter) handle,

“@usatf y’all play that favoritism like mf. Y'all like puppets. For sure yes man.”

Lyles hit back at Kerley after the race. He told Flo Track in an interview,

“I mean he could be here but he ain't so if you mad at that, come on out.”

Observing all the criticism from athletes and fans, the 26-year-old wrote on his X handle:

"A few things I have learned early in my career. Being marketable sells. Medals don’t bring likeness. Politics Is in everything."