Fans were quick to react after footage of Noah Lyles emerged online following the USATF Indoor Championships in New York.
On Sunday (1 March 2024), 100m Olympic champion Lyles could only finish third behind Jordan Anthony and Trayvon Bromell at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Staten Island.
Lyles clocked a time of 6.51 seconds over the 60-metre distance, with winner Anthony completing the race in 6.45 seconds.
Following the race, Lyles — who trains with Anthony — handed the US athletics championship belt over to his compatriot, with footage emerging on social media.
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And despite the exchange appearing friendly, some fans suggested that Lyles stole the moment.
Speaking about the belt, Lyles joked: “It likes to be polished at night [and] read a bedtime story at 8pm…” while onlookers laughed along before he added: “Make sure you get it a passport.”
Anthony appeared to see the funny side of the interaction, although exactly what he said remains unclear from the footage.
Still, fans were quick to criticise Lyles on social media.
One said: “Noah sit down dawg and let bro have his moment.”
Another added: “He wiping them fingerprints off hoping Noah catches the hint lmao.”
While a third claimed: “It’s the way he immediately wiping off the spots he touched.”
As a fourth commented: “Jordan Anthony wiping the spots Noah Lyles kept touching had me crying real tears. He knows Noah Lyles was doing way too much – let the brudda have his moment, man.”
Despite fans’ claims, Anthony was quick to set the record straight after the competition and described his relationship with Lyles as “great”.
Speaking to NBC, Anthony said: “The start of my season, I didn’t have two good races.
“I needed a little bit of humbling to remember who I am, that dog mentality. Those two races did a lot to me. Everybody said I fell off. I was trying to find out where I was.”
When pressed on his relationship with Lyles, he added: “I enjoy training with (Lyles). It’s a great mutual relationship between each other. Of course, we’re going to talk smack. The sport is soft if we don’t. So, I’m bringing football mentality. He’s just bringing old age right now.”
Anthony previously played as a wide receiver at the University of Arkansas.
Topics: Noah Lyles, Athletics
Luke Davies