When one of track and field’s biggest stars misses the World Relays and then pulls out of a major home meet, the buzz starts fast. And when that star is Noah Lyles, the Paris 2024 Olympic gold medalist, you know the chatter will come with extra heat. Fans were hyped for the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games, hoping Lyles would finally smash his personal best of 14.35 seconds after last year’s scorching 14.41 on the same custom 150m track at Atlanta’s iconic Piedmont Park.
But then, boom!! Just a day before the meet, the Atlanta Track Club dropped a bombshell: “Noah Lyles, originally slated to compete, will not race due to injury.” Okay, injuries happen. But here’s where things got… complicated. Lyles didn’t just skip the race and stay home. Nope. On May 17, he showed up at Piedmont Park, signing autographs, dancing, and chatting with fans. Cameras flashed, the crowd cheered, but many scratched their heads, if he’s injured, why show up like it’s a victory lap?
That question wasn’t just in fans’ minds. A former Bahamian sprinter, Rodney Green, put it straight to American legend in his You tube Channel, Ready Set Go.: “What were your thoughts on him showing up and really not racing or not racing right now? What are we thinking about Noah?”
Justin Gatlin, American legend gave a calm but honest take on Noah Lyles: “If he’s saying he’s injured, I’d believe him. Maybe his preparation isn’t where it needs to be, and he probably got that grace. He has a bye for Nationals, so there’s no stress to rush back. If it’s a minor injury, let him heal, rest, and regroup.” That sounded reasonable, but then the conversation got real. The legend added, “Noah’s going to show up when it’s time to show up but that Hollywood aspect now is tricky.” Bam, that hit the core.
It’s not just about his injury or training, it’s about balancing skyrocketing fame with the grind of elite athletics. Noah Lyles has been everywhere lately. In May alone, he was on the cover of The Knot magazine’s Summer 2025 issue with fiancee Junelle Bromfield, featured in GQ and Vogue editorials celebrating Black style and tailoring, and yes, he even rocked the 2025 Met Gala. Picture this: a Thom Browne blazer paired with shorts, knee-high socks, a cane, and his signature pearl accessories. Iconic? Absolutely. But was it the right timing? Well, now the legend warned him too.
“When you’re hitting those unorthodox moments like the Met Gala, it pulls away from the hunger, the rest, and the training you need to come back stronger on the track.” The concern wasn’t about fashion or fame, it was about focus. “You’ve got to tread cautiously because the competition? They’re watching and waiting. They’re gunning for that guy. So if you show up any less than that, then it’s going to be a problem for you.”
The message was clear: “Noah’s priority has to be track and field. As the icon he wants to be, he must show up in those iconic moments and get it done.” Sure, the autograph sessions and fan love were cool, but now the clock is ticking. Noah Lyles needs to quiet the distractions, refocus, and prove he’s not just the face of the sport. Especially now, when African sprinters are dominating the scene, the pressure’s even higher. But Justin Gatlin, a legend who knows what really matters, shared his insight into where Noah’s head is at and why skipping some races right now might actually make sense.
Tokyo 2025 Race Is On and Noah Lyles’s Got His Work Cut Out
Justin Gatlin, a legend who’s been there, knows exactly what Noah Lyles is facing. “Noah is in that space where he is the guy. It’s not about running every race or chasing world records in unorthodox events …. The bigger targets are Nationals, World Championships, and Diamond League Finals.” He also believes in giving Noah the benefit of the doubt about his injury: “If he’s saying he’s injured, I would believe that. He probably got that grace right now to heal up properly.” But will the World Championships be easy for Noah? Not at all. Because the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo are just three months away—and guess what?
Noah Lyles isn’t exactly cruising into this one without some serious competition breathing down his neck. Everyone’s talking about who’s gonna challenge the Paris 2024 sprint king in both the 100m and 200m. Spoiler alert: there are some hungry sprinters ready to steal the spotlight. First up, meet Letsile Tebogo from Botswana. This kid’s got everyone buzzing as he snagged the 200m gold in Paris with a jaw-dropping 19.46 seconds, the fastest ever run by a teenager. And at just 21, he’s not done yet. Tebogo just crushed the Silesia Diamond League with a 19.83 win.
Then there’s Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, who barely lost the Olympic 100m final to Lyles by a sliver, 0.005 seconds. Plus, Thompson’s clocked the fastest 100m time of 2024, and he’s hungry for more. Don’t sleep on Kenny Bednarek from the US either, silver medalist in the 200m last year and always ready to challenge Lyles. Oh, and Oblique Seville? He already shocked the world by beating Lyles at the 2023 Racers Grand Prix. Yeah, this race is heating up.
But here’s the kicker, South Africa’s Akani Simbine might just be the toughest to beat. This guy is on fire in 2025. He grabbed his first global medal, a bronze in the 60m indoors and has been smashing the Diamond League with sub-10-second 100m runs all season. His world-leading 9.90 seconds at the Botswana Grand Prix? Historic. Eleven straight years running under 10 seconds! Plus, he helped South Africa nab gold in the 4x100m relay recently. With all this talent lining up, Tokyo’s about to be one wild sprint showdown. Can Noah Lyles keep his crown? Time to find out.
The post “Gonna Be a Problem”: American Legend Voices Concerns Over Noah Lyles’ Newfound Fame Amidst Recent Absence appeared first on EssentiallySports.