'I’m winning while being corny'- Noah Lyles on why it is important for athletes to be themselves

'I’m winning while being corny'- Noah Lyles on why it is important for athletes to be themselves

Abigael Wafula 19:00 - 24.06.2024

Triple world champion Noah Lyles has explained why it is very important for athletes to be true to their own personalities given his own outgoing nature.

Noah Lyles has silenced his haters and people who think he is overly dramatic, noting that at least he lives up to the billing by winning races.

Speaking to the media after sealing a ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the men’s 100m, Lyles explained that he does not allow the pressure from outside to get to him.

The three-time world 200m champion insisted that he strives to be true to himself at all times and that’s what he always advises young kids to grow up knowing.

The triple world champion does not focus on the opinion of others as he noted that he is out to have fun on the track and revealed that the only time he felt pressure to deliver was in 2021, during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

He admitted that the pandemic had affected him negatively and he was just coming out of a depressive episode in his life.

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“In 2021, there was a lot of pressure just because of the depression and coming off…usually, I don’t feel the pressure because I’m just having fun.

“All I have to do is just be me and I constantly tell kids all the time to be themselves and if you see me as being corny, I’m corny, but guess what, I’m winning while being corny,” Lyles said.

The American added that winning the men’s 100m in a personal best time is a confidence booster ahead of the 200m. His plans to win four gold medals still stands and with the win, Lyles believes he is putting something great together.

The 26-year-old cut the tape in 9.83 to cross the finish line ahead of Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley who finished second and third in 9.87 and 9.88 respectively.

“I’ll just say it’s more confidence…more confidence all the way. I ran 9.85 in Jamaica and came back here to 9.83 to tie my personal best time…this is everything that I wanted moving forward,” Bednarek said.

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