Noah Lyles is convinced that during his career he will smash Usain Bolt's long-standing 200m world record.
The American claimed the title of the fastest man alive after winning the men's Olympic gold medal in the 100m event at the 2024 Olympic Games, despite suffering from Covid.
In the 200m event, Lyles was expected to double his gold tally in Paris however, he came up short finishing third behind Letsile Tebogo and Kenny Bednarek.
Advert
Despite this, the 27-year-old is more than confident that he has what it takes to break the Olympic legend Bolt's insane world record of 19.19 seconds that has now stood for almost 15 years.
Speaking about the record in 2023, Lyles said: "I know that I'm going to break it.
"The second most-popular, favourite hobby of humans − after watching somebody achieve greatness − is watching them fail.
Advert
"People love to watch people fail. They just do. I don't know why.
"It's just if somebody says they want to do something great, someone's right there next to say they can't do it.
"I can give zero cares about what other people think.
"Because they don't know me, they don't know my story, they don't know what I do, they don't know how hard I work, how talented I am. But I know."
Advert
Lyles has had to wait patiently for his time in the spotlight but is world-renowned now for his swagger and confidence.
Before Covid impacted his performance in the 200-metre final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, the US star had not lost a 200-metre race since he finished a disappointing third at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.
Of the 10 fastest 200-metre times in the world since the Tokyo games three years ago, he has run seven of them.
Advert
"I'm going to motivate myself regardless," Lyles added.
"I'm going to win regardless.
"I didn't need a rival at worlds to run 19.3, because there was nobody close to me when that happened."
Lyles' closest attempt at breaking Bolt's long standing record, set at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009, is 19.31 - a US record which he set in Eugene in 2022.
Topics: Athletics, Olympics, Usain Bolt
Ben McCrum