Noah Lyles

Noah Lyles declared himself the fastest man in the world — and then proved it. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, he won the 100-meter gold medal by five thousandths of a second in one of the closest and most thrilling finishes in Olympic history. Bold, charismatic, and unafraid of the spotlight, Lyles has made himself the face of American track and field and one of the most compelling athletes of his generation.

Born in Gainesville, Florida, in 1997, and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, Lyles was a high school sensation who turned professional after graduating from T.C. Williams High School (the school made famous by Remember the Titans). He chose to skip college and go pro immediately, a decision validated by his rapid rise to the top of world sprinting.

Lyles won three gold medals at the 2023 World Championships — the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay — making him the most decorated male sprinter at a single World Championships in 18 years. His personality — dancing on the track, engaging fans on social media, speaking candidly about his struggles with asthma and mental health — has made him a new kind of track star. He has been vocal about wanting to elevate track and field's profile to match the NBA and NFL, bringing entertainment and personality to a sport that needs it.