The sprint king from America criticizes his country

Noah Lyles is the new personality of the athletics major – unlike any other.

The American competed with him at the World Cup in Budapest Victory over 100 meters And 200 meters The 26-year-old from Florida is a double world champion over the distances, succeeding Bolt in 2015 – following in the footsteps of legends like Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt.

Beyond the slopes, Lyles stood out at the World Championships as a modern guy — with his painted fingernails and other fashionable exclamation points — and critical sense. He never leaves his native land.

World Athletics Championships: Lyles criticizes American self-image

In a press conference after the 200-meter gold, Lyles reflected on the lack of mainstream presence in athletics — and took on the self-image of an American sports institution that has been very successful in this regard: the NBA.

“You know what hurt me the most? I got to watch the NBA Finals, where they were going to be crowned champions. What world champion? The United States?” Criticized the American in the press conference after the run. He loves his own country, but the self-image expressed there bothers him: “We are not the world”.

The game requires a lot of focus

During his remarks, Lyles called on the world governing body, the IAAF, to further promote and publicize athletics. “Almost every country here is struggling and thriving and has a flag to show it’s represented,” the 26-year-old said.

Lyles wants to do his part. After all, he’s now racked up medals from the Tartan Trail to draw attention. “People want to see me on the runway, but also in GQ and my documentary series, and realize that I’m a good guy too,” he said.

He wants to use this focus to work in other areas like “fashion and music”.

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A moving story

Even before the world championships, Lyles was said to have the potential to become athletics’ new superstar if he succeeded in Budapest: fans had already noticed his charisma, his charm, his willingness to show off and his witty jokes. Lyles also has a heartwarming story to tell about her struggles with depression.

In high school, Lyles was often teased, he had a learning disability, his parents divorced early, his mother Keisha raised him and his brother, he was running fast, he was alone, and there was always not enough food and money. “Our power went out once,” Lyles said.

The Rise of Lyles is a Cinderella story that America loves. But he is an awkward fairy tale hero.

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With Sports Information Service (SID)