"Nobody wanted to say I was the world's fastest man"- Noah Lyles opens up on being doubted before Paris Olympics despite being 3x World Champion

Noah Lyles opened up about being doubted despite winning the World Championships three times in the 200m and proving himself as a leading athlete multiple times. The American athlete revealed how his 100m victory at the Paris Olympics became a turning point for him as he felt that winning the gold medal made him a part of the conversation for the world's fastest man.

As the American athlete geared up to compete in the 2025 season at the New Balance Grand Prix, he revealed how the Paris Olympics had changed his life. Noah Lyles revealed how winning the Olympic gold medal was one of his biggest dreams and it was something that he had targeted since the beginning of his career.

Moreover, he revealed how people considered him to be the 'fastest man in the world' after the victory and it is a title that holds a lot of significance in the track world as it is usually given to an athlete who wins the sprint races in the World Championships or the Olympic games.

"It was a dream come true. It is something you dream about all the time. You want to be the world's fastest man, I've said this for years. I'm the three world champion in the 200 and nobody wanted to say I was the world's fastest man. I won it in the 100 in Budapest," he said.

"Okay, now I'm in the conversation. I finally won it in the Olympics, okay, now I'm the world's fastest man, it's a crazy title and it holds a lot of weight you know, walking around people will easily notice me on the street a lot more," he added.

Lyles won the 100m gold at the Paris Olympics after just about edging out Kishane Thomas in the final.

Noah Lyles on the title of the 'fastest man alive'

Noah Lyles during the medal ceremony at the Olympic Games Paris 2024(Image Source: Getty)

Noah Lyles issued a clarification about the ongoing controversy after the Paris Olympics about the title of the 'fastest man alive'. After Lyles won the gold medal in the men's 100m at the Paris Olympics some fans termed him as the 'fastest man alive' and he spoke about the title in his podcast 'Beyond the Records'.

The American athlete revealed that the title of the 'fastest man alive' belongs to Usain Bolt as he holds the world record in the 100m which stands at 9.58s and he is the 'fastest athlete in the world' instead, a title which is usually given to the World Championship or Olympic 100m champion.

"So I'm the World's Fastest Man. You get it with the title of being the Olympic Champion. Technically the fastest man alive is Usain Bolt," he said.

Furthermore, Lyles expressed he aims to get closer to Bolt's 200m World record which stands at 19.19s, and eventually break it in the future.