Noah Lyles to Skip Indoor Clash with Kishane Thompson in China to Focus on Outdoor Prep for World Championships in Tokyo.

Noah Lyles to Skip Indoor Clash with Kishane Thompson in China to Focus on Outdoor Prep for World Championships in Tokyo.

 

Noah Lyles, the reigning Olympic 100m champion and multi‑time world titleholder, has officially ruled out participating in the 2025 World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China—meaning a highly anticipated early-season showdown with Jamaica’s Olympic silver medallist Kishane Thompson will not take place. Lyles has confirmed he will prioritize strategic outdoor preparation, particularly with the World Athletics Championships taking place in Tokyo this September .

Lyles opened his indoor season in fine fashion, winning the men’s 60m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston with a time of 6.52 seconds—his slowest winning time in the event since 2022, but still dominant enough to claim his fourth consecutive title at the meet . Despite the win, he underscored his decision not to contest the World Indoor Championships in Nanjing, framing it as a strategic move: “By not going indoors, which is all the way in China … it saves me a lot of time to prepare for outdoor” .

Thompson, the rising Jamaican sprinter, has caught attention with impressive early-season indoor form—clocking 6.48 seconds into a  headwind in Spanish Town, and then posting 6.56 at the Astana Indoor Meet. His performances positioned him as a serious contender heading into Nanjing . With Lyles absent, Thompson and other top athletes will dominate the indoor narrative, setting up even greater anticipation for their clash in Tokyo.

This decision reflects broader trends: Many elite sprinters—including Lyles, Thompson, and Julien Alfred—opted out of the World Indoor Championships to avoid burnout and focus their peak on the outdoor portion of 2025, culminating in peak performance at the World Championships in Tokyo .

Notably, Coach Rob and other analysts have voiced concern over Lyles defining his season so far, particularly in the 100m and 200m. As of early June, Lyles had yet to race either event in 2025, while competitors like Thompson, Akani Simbine, Trayvon Bromell, and Fred Kerley had already recorded multiple sub‑10 second races, putting pressure on him to deliver as the championships approach . But Lyles has enacted a low-volume, high-quality plan—with two automatic byes into Tokyo secured to defend his world titles, he emphasized: “I have two byes into the World Championships, so there’s no need to rush anything”.

Lyles did return to competition mid-season in Monaco at the Diamond League, where he claimed victory in the 200m in 19.88 seconds, defeating Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo in a much‑anticipated rematch, a sign that his form is building well for the outdoor campaign . Earlier, he made a surprise re-entry into the 400m at the Tom Jones Invitational, setting a new personal best of 45.87 seconds—his first 400m race as a pro since 2016—part of a long-term bid to one day target the 400m world record and expand his medal potential at major championships .

For Thompson, Lyles’ absence in Nanjing removes the only likely indoor challenge to his breakout season and allows him to build momentum unimpeded. If Thompson shines indoors, it increases pressure on Lyles to face a confident rival in Tokyo—though Lyles has made clear he sees the outdoor World Championships as the marquee moment to solidify his legacy. He remains focused on defending his triple gold hopes in the 100m, 200m, and 4×100m relay in Tokyo.

In short, Lyles’ calculated decision to skip indoors reflects both the evolving structure of elite sprint planning and his own drive to prime himself for outdoor greatness. While fans may miss a clash with Thompson early in the year, the real championship spectacle now awaits in Tokyo this September.