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Behind every successful athlete is an even greater mentor and influence. Noah Lyles revealed his but on a sad note.
US speed king Noah Lyles has had a meteoric career rise in the past three years, blazing to the top amongst the world's best sprinters in the 60m, 100m, and 200m events.
However, behind every success story is another legend behind the scenes, who Lyles has revealed helped shape him into the athlete he is today and become the Olympic 100m champion in Paris - His name, Ralph Mann.
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Sadly, the two-time Olympian pays tribute to him on a mourning note after the Olympic legend and scientist passed away on January 2nd, 2025 at age 75.
With the track and field community sending their condolences, Lyles also penned down his tribute on how much impact the late Ralph Mann had on his career.
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"For those who don’t know who this is, this is Ralph Man!
An Olympian and former world record holder. But that’s not why I know him, I know Ralph because he is the crazy scientist that helped me and my coach turn me into the athlete I am today.
He brought a new way of thinking to my starting blocks that help me to become a great 60m runner and 100m Olympic Champion. I will forever be grateful for the love and support he showed me and for sharing his craft I will forever remember you . RIP Ralph and THANK YOU 🙏🏾 🕊️," wrote the six-time world champion on his Instagram page.
Ralph Mann had an iconic track career highlighted by winning 400mH silver medal at the 1972 Munich Games, and in 2015, he was inducted into the USA National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
After his career, he continued with his academic pursuits and acquired a Ph.D. in biomechanics from Washington State University. This helped him to become a well-known researcher and clinician who focused on sprinting and hurdling, especially using the skills he had learned about sprint mechanics. He treated Olympic and professional athletes, Olympic and professional athletes, and others such as women's 400mH world record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
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Ralph Mann passed away after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer and his impact will be remembered forever. Even after retiring from his career, the respected scientist continued to play a huge role in the sport, consulting for USA Track and Field.
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