Noah Lyles entered the summer looking ready to make another statement. He matched his personal best with a 9.79-second win in the U.S. 100m final and believed he would be ready to race at track and field’s newest global event in Budapest. But his plans took an unexpected turn.
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“Unfortunately, I come with some not great news,” Lyles took to Instagram on September 4 to share the disappointing news with his fans. “Me and my coach have decided that we’re going to end my 2026 season due to injury.”
Lyles was set to be the face of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest. The Olympic 100m champion was expected to headline the track in the 100m and 200m, then step off it to help drive the show as the event’s Ultimate MC and Creative Adviser. For a meet designed to put its biggest personalities at the center of the action, few athletes were meant to be more visible than Lyles.
The 29-year-old admitted that what initially appeared to be a minor problem had become more complicated during his recovery. It was an old injury that flared up, and forced him to withdraw from the championship and call time on his 2026 season.
The setback dates back to the USATF Outdoor Championships on July 26. Lyles lined up for the 200m final just two days after winning the U.S. 100m title in 9.79 seconds. However, his 200m race ended early when he pulled up coming off the turn after feeling a grabbing sensation in his hamstring.
At the time, Lyles described it as “somewhat of a cramp.” He indicated that he felt fine and expected to manage it with stretching and electrolytes. What followed, however, proved more complicated than he initially expected.
“Unfortunately, after running at USA’s, we found out that I had a small strain, not very serious, and the rehab that we were putting together was going extremely well,” Lyles explained. “We decided that we’ll just end the season here, get ready for 2027-2028, which are going to be humongous years.”
The decision means Lyles will miss the inaugural Ultimate Championships. Despite withdrawing from the competition, Lyles will still travel to the championship and remain involved behind the scenes.
“I am still going to be at Ultimate Championship,” he said. “I still do have a party to throw and things to do behind the scenes to help support the athletes. I still think that this is going to be an amazing competition and I’m excited to watch that,” he said.
The early end to his season comes after Lyles had produced a strong performance in the 100m. His 9.79-second victory at the USATF Championships matched his personal best, which he had previously set at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Budapest also carries significance for Lyles. It was there, at the 2023 World Championships, that he won his first 100m world title, clocking 9.83 seconds to beat Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and Britain’s Zharnel Hughes. His return to the Hungarian capital for the inaugural Ultimate Championship was therefore set to bring him back to the site of one of the defining wins of his career, even though he will now be there in a non-competitive role.
The latest setback comes after Lyles added another major achievement to his record in 2025, when he won the 200m title at the World Championships in Tokyo. The victory was his fourth consecutive world title in the event, matching Usain Bolt’s record. Now, instead of attempting to push through another injury ahead of Budapest, Lyles has chosen to focus on a full recovery and the major seasons ahead.
The American is already turning his attention to the World Championships and the Los Angeles Olympics.
“This is reassurance that we’re going to kick 2027 off with a bang and give it our all,” Lyles said.
For Lyles, the Ultimate Championship will now be a different kind of experience.