"Maybe I just need to move on" - Noah Lyles opens up on thoughts about quitting track and field while dealing with depression

Noah Lyles recently opened up on the issue of his depression, which had nearly claimed his career at one point of time. The 27-year-old Olympic champion recalled the time when he almost thought of giving up on track and field.

In a podcast session with fellow Olympians Rai Benjamin and Grant Holloway, Lyles talked about his mental struggles around the Tokyo Olympics. When asked if he harbored thoughts of giving up, the 27-year-old replied:

"For a little bit, there was that like split for two days of, maybe I just need to move on, because from track to track, because I need to get myself together, but I would always come back in my head. I just want, I just had to get my mind focused back, so you know I lose, I lose the 200 in 2021 [men's 200m at Tokyo Olympics], and you know I'm now like you know I'm done for the season, I'll just come back next year." [11:00 onwards]

Lyles did manage a medal at the Tokyo Olympics, clinching the bronze in the 200m event. He overcame his struggles in time, to mark his presence in style at the Paris Olympics. Though he couldn't improve his position in the 200m, Lyles claimed a historic gold medal in the 100m, the first from any male American sprinter since Justin Gatlin in 2004.

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Noah Lyles on doubts about his COVID-19 at the Paris Olympics

Noah Lyles after the 200m finals at the Paris Olympics 2024 [Image Source : Getty]

Noah Lyles' bronze medal in the men's 200m event at the Paris Olympics didn't match up to his expectations. However, he was also battling COVID-19 at the time.

A few days back, the 27-year-old sprinter opened up about why some people doubted whether he even suffered from COVID-19 at the Paris Olympics or not. In his podcast on the channel 'Beyond the Records', Lyles stated:

“I was in the club, having fun, celebrating my wins. I understand it. I understand why they think it’s fake because they are always gonna think it’s fake because one, I am American, and two, you know, I am saying that I have this disease and yet I compete better than you can ever imagine.” [0:42 onwards]

Noah Lyles was afflicted with COVID-19 only a day before the finals of the 200m were to be held at Stade de France, the main venue for the Paris Olympics. Yet, he did not back out, and competed in the race, finishing third with an overall timing of 19.70 seconds. Kenny Bednarek won the silver medal, while Letsile Tebogo of Botswana created history, setting a new African record of 19.46 seconds to win the gold medal.