When Noah Lyles skipped the 2026 World Indoor Championships, he made his priorities clear, saying it was “too close to the wedding.” And now, just around 15 days after marrying Junelle Bromfield, you might expect him to step away, take a break to enjoy time after the celebrations. But Lyles seems to be doing the opposite. Instead of easing out of competition, he is already back in the thick of racing, lining up and winning alongside rivals who had pushed him earlier in the season.

On April 18, Noah Lyles took part in the Tom Jones Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, in the US 4x100m setup, running in a stacked field where Gainesville Elite B included Jordan Anthony, Trayvon Bromell, and Jake Odey-Jordan alongside him. Interestingly, Anthony’s presence stood out especially after his indoor win over Lyles in the 60m earlier this year. But in today’s race, this whole squad helped the club produce a 37.78s finish.

Just behind them, USA Red finished second in 37.86s with Courtney Lindsey, Kenny Bednarek, Kyree King, and Max Thomas. USA White followed in 37.97s with Christian Coleman, Ronnie Baker Jr., Tate Taylor, and Pjai Austin, while Pure Athletics B clocked 38.22s. But the spread of sub-38 teams once again showed how packed US sprinting has become.

Interestingly, before the relay, Noah Lyles had already made an impact earlier in the meet1 On April 17 at the James G. Pressly Stadium, he opened his outdoor season in the 200m with a 19.91 seconds. Max Thomas chased him in 19.98s, and Tate Taylor followed in 20.05s, with Taylor also breaking a high school record in the same race.

Taken together, it paints a clear picture of his return. Even after a major life moment, even after talk of a honeymoon phase and time away, Lyles is already back in full competition rhythm, but will it be enough for him now to take revenge against Jordan Anthony?

Jordan Anthony’s breakthrough win over Noah Lyles

Back in March, 2025, NCAA 60m and 100m champion Jordan Anthony took part in the USA Indoor Championships 2026, lining up against the very best in US sprinting, including Noah Lyles. On paper, you might expect the Olympic gold medallist to win the race, but it did not go that way.

Anthony delivered a performance, claiming his first national title as a professional. He won the 60m in 6.45 seconds, edging Trayvon Bromell by just two hundredths, and Lyles, who is a four-time world 200m champion, finished third in 6.51. But what followed made the moment even bigger.

After the race, Noah Lyles handed a championship belt to Anthony as they also shared time in the same training environment outside Orlando. Interestingly, Lyles had won the 60m title at the 2024 USATF Indoors, which added another layer to the change in results this time. But you might expect moments like this to create tension, but that was not the case.

After the race, Anthony spoke openly about the relationship with Lyles. “I enjoy training with (Noah Lyles),” Anthony said. “It’s a great mutual relationship between each other. Of course, we’re going to talk smack… He’s just bringing old age right now.” Lyles also acknowledged the energy Anthony brings, saying, “Jordan’s been a lot of fun. He’s been very energetic. He’s been very likely to get the job done. Great trash talker.”

From that March moment onward, every time they appear in the same races or relay groups, the attention follows. Not because of bad blood, but because the results keep getting closer and the competition keeps building. Even with Noah Lyles coming off major life changes like marriage, the track has not slowed down for either of them.