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American sprint legend Michael Johnson has criticised a new Olympics commercial featuring world champion Noah Lyles over what he terms its ‘disrespectful’ nature
American sprint legend Michael Johnson is among those who seem not to have taken to a new Olympics commercial featuring world champion Noah Lyles.
In the latest ad, actress Lily Collins repeated her role as Cooper from the hit Netflix series Emily in Paris as part of a new campaign promoting the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
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08:27 - 14.01.2024
WATCH: Noah Lyles featured in latest Olympics ad alongside Emily in Paris star actress
Noah Lyles teamed up with actress Lily Collins to successfully execute the latest Olympic Games ad.
The 34-year-old is filmed delivering a boardroom marketing "pitch" about a potential new uniform that Lyles could wear during his meets at the upcoming games.
Lyles is then shown wearing an extravagant gold armoured outfit created by fictional designer Pierre Caudault from the Netflix series.
The two-time world 200m champion seems excited about his attire and hits the track running, only to end up mistakenly draping his competitors in the lengthy gold cape trailing behind him.
The video then cuts to Cooper, who is seen celebrating Lyles' win by popping a bottle of Champère Champagne before spraying it all over the marketing executives sitting around the boardroom table.
However, not everyone is impressed, with Johnson agreeing to concerns that it is disrespectful for Lyles to assume he has already won it in Paris when the 2024 season has not started and also the lack of other athletes in the commercial.
“Cries of disrespect are constant in track & field. And it holds the sport back,” Johnson posted on X in reaction to concerns raised by athletics blogger Raes Take.
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13:20 - 15.01.2024
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Raes Take’s concern is that it is wrong for Lyles to assume he is a shoo-in at the Olympics when preparations for the new season have just began.
“Did the NBA make a commercial with Lebron celebrating with a NBA Finals trophy? Did the NFL start the season out with a commercial of Mahommes celebrating the SuperBowl for 2024?” the blogger posed.
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11:40 - 08.01.2024
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Mary Moraa has lauded her younger sister, Sarah, who is keenly following in her footsteps to become the next 800m icon.
“No, they didn’t. Because they understand it’s a sport. And nothing in sports is for certain. I would have rather seen a commercial with all the top sprinters in it. Why? Cause [because] they all are fighting for the same title…you can’t just give it to one man already.”
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