Nearly 17 years ago, legendary sprinter Usain Bolt made history by setting a new world record in the 100-meter sprint. He clocked an astonishing 9.72 seconds at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, cementing his status as one of the greatest athletes of all time.
However, Bolt didn’t stop there. He went on to break his own record twice first at the 2008 Beijing Olympics with a time of 9.69 seconds and then at the 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin, where he set the current world record of 9.58 seconds. Since that remarkable feat in Berlin, only a few have come close to challenging his dominance.
One athlete who believes he can surpass Bolt is reigning Olympic champion Noah Lyles. At the Paris Olympics last summer, Lyles claimed the title of the fastest man alive by winning gold in the 100m, despite battling Covid. While he aimed to double his gold tally in the 200m, he finished third behind Letsile Tebogo and Kenny Bednarek.
Still, Lyles remains confident that he will one day break Bolt’s record. Reflecting on the challenge in 2023, he stated, “I know that I’m going to break it. Watching someone achieve greatness is the second most popular hobby for people right after watching them fail. People love to doubt others when they strive for greatness.”
Lyles emphasized that outside opinions don’t affect him, adding, “I couldn’t care less what others think. They don’t know my story, my work ethic, or my talent but I do.” His closest attempt at Bolt’s record so far has been 19.31 seconds in the 200m, a U.S. record he set in Eugene in 2022.
Determined as ever, Lyles remains focused on his goal. “I’ll motivate myself no matter what. I’m going to win no matter what,” he asserted. “I didn’t need a rival to run 19.3 at Worlds there was no one even close when I did it.”
Be the first to comment