For Noah Lyles, Tyson Gay has never been just another name in the record books. Gay’s 9.69-second 100m remains one of the fastest times ever run, while his 19.58-second 200m was once one of the marks Lyles had to chase. Their connection also runs through coach Lance Brauman, who coached Gay during his rise to sprinting stardom before taking Lyles under his wing in 2016. Years later, Lyles even tied Gay’s American 150m record of 14.41 seconds in Atlanta, and then admitted, “Tyson Gay’s a 9.69 runner, so in my head, I’m like, ‘Shoot, I’m ready to go 9.6.’” And now, Lyles got a chance to meet the American sprinting legend in person.

On October 1, Lyles shared an Instagram Story featuring himself with Gay in a kitchen, where the former American sprinting star was holding a photograph of himself that he had signed for Lyles. The autograph appeared to make the moment even more personal, and Lyles’ caption left little doubt about how much he appreciated the encounter. He wrote, “The man, the myth, the legend,” while tagging Gay.

The timing of the meeting makes it even more special. Gay was already an established star when Lyles was still a teenager trying to find his place in the sport. Their paths had crossed at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, where an 18-year-old Lyles competed in the 200m alongside some of America’s biggest sprinting names. Lyles opened the competition with a 20.04-second run in the first round, while Gay was competing as an experienced international star. It was an early glimpse of the athlete Lyles would eventually become.

There was also a direct connection between their careers through Brauman. The coach had previously worked with Gay before guiding Lyles. As Lyles’ career flourished, he eventually surpassed Gay’s 19.58-second 200m personal best. At the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, he set a new American record in the event, taking the victory to win the world title with a time of 19.31 seconds.

Even after reaching that level himself, Lyles has continued to speak highly of Gay. During an interview about top-end speed, he was asked which athletes he considered to be among the fastest alongside him. “Usain and maybe like Tyson Gay,” Lyles said.

Gay has also acknowledged Lyles’ pursuit of his old marks. When Lyles targeted Gay’s 19.58 stadium record in New York, the former world champion offered him a short message of encouragement: “Good luck champ! Go get it.” The two sprinters now represent different generations of American track and field, with Gay’s career preceding Lyles’ rise to the top of the sport.

Interestingly, the Tyson Gay meeting was not the only time Noah Lyles has had a fanboy-like moment with a sprinting legend. His admiration for Usain Bolt has also produced a few memorable encounters over the years.

Noah Lyles once had a fanboy moment with Usain Bolt

Lyles has recalled that he first met Bolt in a doctor’s office in Germany in 2017, shortly before the World Championships. Lyles was there getting his hamstring checked when he spotted Bolt, who was also dealing with an injury concern. Seeing one of the biggest names in track right in front of him, the young Lyles decided to walk over and introduce himself.

“He looked more beat up than me so I just decided I was going to go say, ‘Hey, you are an amazing athlete,’” Lyles recalled. His admiration for Bolt was not limited to what happened on the track. Lyles has also spoken about studying Bolt’s races and paying attention to the Jamaican’s celebrations, dancing and personality. Lyles didn’t want to copy him but said he took inspiration from it.

There was also a funny moment between the two in 2019. After Lyles ran 19.65 seconds at the Paris Diamond League and broke Bolt’s meet record, he posted an Instagram Story asking, “Bolt who?” Bolt saw it and later responded to NBC Sports: “What do you mean Usain Bolt who? If you don’t know who I am, you’re in the wrong sport.”

Lyles later clarified the comment, acknowledging Bolt’s greatness and that being compared with him is an honor.  However, their most memorable encounter was a few years later in Jamaica. Lyles won the race at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston, 200m, in 19.67 in June 2023.  After the race, Bolt came down toward the track and hugged Lyles. Bolt then leaned toward him and told him: “Keep your same attitude. The sport needs that shit. We need a personality.” Lyles later described the interaction as “really special.”

While Lyles has always insisted that he wants to create his own path rather than put athletes on a pedestal, his history with Bolt shows that even one of the world’s biggest sprint stars has had moments of genuine admiration for the man who helped define the sport before him.