"The level of attention he brought, Noah Lyles changed the game forever” - Rai Benjamin details how the Olympic Champion has transformed track & field

Noah Lyles had an excellent campaign at the Paris Olympics, but that didn't stop the critics from coming after him post the Games. Now, Rai Benjamin, the second fastest man in the history of the 400m hurdles, has spoken out in defense of his compatriot, detailing how the sprinter has changed the game.

Lyles’ outing at Stade De France resulted in a gold in the 100m and a bronze in the 200m. After the second race, the sprinter revealed he was struggling with COVID, however, many fans accused him of lying.

Additionally, the 26-year-old has long since been embroiled in a back-and-forth with the NBA and its fans over his ‘World Champions of what’ comment, and the online hate only worsened after his third-place finish in the 200m at the French capital. The drama surrounding the American sprinter further increased when NFL player Tyreek Hill claimed he could outdo the Olympic champion in a 100m sprint.

Now, Rai Benjamin, gold-medalist in the 400m hurdles and 4x400m relay at the Paris Olympics, has spoken out in defense of Noah Lyles, claiming that the sprinter has changed the game. Taking to X, he wrote,

“Noah Lyles really changed the game man. You can keep fooling yourself but he really changed the game.”

“For everyone asking how. Being DENSE on purpose is so interesting to me lol. Nonetheless. The level of attention he brought after sprint/ during the games/ post OLY. The Fact that that post even triggered you. Dude changed the game forever. Whether you like it or not,” he went on to add.

Lyles reacted to Benjamin's post by inviting him and other Team USA athletes to the Fanatics Feat, an impressive festival for sports fans.

“Yo, Grant Holloway, Tara Davis-Woodhall, Rai Benjamin, Masai Russell, and Gabby Thomas, we have to pull up on @FanaticsFest next year.”

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Rai Benjamin wishes Noah Lyles would receive better support from US fans

While Noah Lyles has faced a lot of criticism after his Paris Olympics campaign, things weren't exactly different during the Games as well. After the sprinter clinched the 100m gold, a lot of NBA fans who had seemingly been rooting for him to lose, expressed their disappointment at the sprinter’s victory.

Rai Benjamin had been quick to defend his compatriot even then, telling reporters (via @ChrisChavez on X),

“Noah has been garnering a lot of hate from U.S. fans and it’s just kind of sad to see. He was depressed in 2021. A lot of people like to say, ‘Let’s focus on mental health and da da da.’ You go out and trash this kid because he’s chasing his dreams and he’s doing things and speaking things into fruition,” Benjamin said.

“I just want to see him have more American support. That’s why we’re here. It’s all about this flag right here. Having that support from your fellow countrymen and getting people in the country behind you is important because everyone else from every other country supports their athletes. I feel like we’re the only ones who are wishy washy with our athletes. Noah is outspoken. I think this just proves that he backs it up every time,” he went on to add.

Noah Lyles has similarly been outspoken in his support for his compatriot and was one of the first to celebrate the latter's victory in the 400m hurdles via his X handle.