“It was a real fake-it-to-make-it year for me" - Noah Lyles opens up on turmoil after depression during the Tokyo Olympics

American sprinter Noah Lyles recently shared details about his struggles with depression during the 2020 Olympic season. He represented the United States in the men’s 200m at the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 (due to delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic).

Lyles has since established himself as one of the world’s top sprinters in both 100m and 200m events.

Heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics with personal bests of 9.81 seconds in the 100m and 19.31 seconds in the 200m, Lyles is seen as a strong contender for medals in the sprint events. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles revealed (via the Daily Mail) how he practiced the 'fake it till you make it' strategy despite struggling with depression in 2021. He stated:

“It was a real fake-it-to-make-it year for me. I was like - ‘I really don't know that guy. I don't know who that is but it's not Noah”’

He also described his demeanor and actions during that period as ‘scary’. The six-time world champion expressed gratitude to God for no longer experiencing such a state presently.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Lyles went on to collect the bronze medal, clocking a time of 19.74s as he finished behind Canada’s Andre de Grasse (19.62s) and the USA’s Kenny Bednarek (19.68s). However, he wasn’t satisfied with his performance, calling it ‘boring’ on being asked how he felt after his bronze medal triumph.

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Noah Lyles was on antidepressants before Tokyo Olympics 2020

Erriyon Knighton (L) and Noah Lyles (R) compete in the Men's 200 Meter Final at 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Noah Lyles started taking antidepressants before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to deal with mental health issues. Sharing this news with his fans and followers, he wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“Recently I decided to get on antidepressant medication. That was one of the best decisions I have made in a while. Since then I have been able to think without the dark undertone in mind of nothing matters. Thank you God for mental Health 🙏🏾”

Lyles eventually discontinued this medication before the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials which determined the USA squad for the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games, due to the medications leaving him with insufficient energy to compete. In an interview with Time.com, he talked about leaving medications, stating:

“Mentally, getting on and off the antidepressants, it was really hard.”

At the 2021 Olympic Trials, Lyles came first in the 200m finals in a time of 19.74s to make it to his first Olympic team.