Noah Lyles is no stranger to being criticized for his takes, and it was no different when Lyles warned Trayvon Bromell after losing narrowly at the Paris Diamond League 100m race on June 28. “Carefully there (Trayvon). The last person who did this to me didn’t even make the podium next time we met,” wrote Lyles. However, former NCAA champion Mac Fleet came to the Olympic champion’s defense. 

The 28-year-old lost the 100m Paris Diamond League meet to Bromell and, in the aftermath, posted a photo on X of the finish line. The image showed the American sprinters near the finish line with Bromell turning his head to look back at Lyles. Fans turned critical in the comments, but Fleet loved it because Lyles addressed the athlete, who, despite being American, is still a rival on the track, instead of poring over the stats. 

“Everyone is so lost in the times right now, and that’s the only thing that matters every five days,” Fleet said on Citrus Mag’s podcast. “We’re just on this five-day loop cycle of meeting records, program records, Diamond League records, and we just have lost actual, like, who is beating who and why does that matter? “You know, rankings going into the championships, head-to-head records, any of that type of thing. Thank you, Noah. You’re the only person that gives a s*** about head-to-head racing right now, and I love it.”

However, Fleet is the only one, so far, praising Lyles. The rest of social media has not shied away from harshly criticizing Noah Lyles for the post. Some hit out at Lyles for not congratulating Trayvon. Some even pointed out that Bromell deserves respect as he has beaten Lyles. Even then, in Fleet’s eyes, Noah Lyles is the lone man trying to keep head-to-head racing and all the banter/rivalry that comes with it alive.

Lyles’ warning to Bromell referenced when Lyles and Oblique Seville battled at the Racers Grand Prix in Kingston ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The American finished second, Seville first, and the Jamaican stared down Lyles in lane five as he crossed the finish line. Two months later, in the 100m final in Paris, Seville finished eighth while Lyles won gold. It’s why Fleet added that the Olympic champion’s comments before the race also showcase his love for head-to-head racing over time.

“I love it. Noah, you know what? I get it,” the former 1500m NCAA title winner added. “Sometimes it’s annoying. But he’s the only one doing anything in the sport about actually, like, racing and competing against each other. And even before the race when they were, one of the MCs, you know, on pre-meet day was like, ‘Oh, but what if you PR tomorrow?’ And he’s like, ‘I don’t care about that.’”

Meanwhile, the Olympic champion was far less interested in the reaction and instead focused on how he viewed the defeat in Paris.

Noah Lyles reflects on his Paris Diamond League loss

Going into the Paris Diamond League, Noah Lyles was the bona fide favourite. That comes as no shock considering the American was unbeaten in the 100m since he finished third in the 2025 World Championships. Lyles has been in peak winning form, with the Paris Diamond League loss being his first loss of the 2026 outdoor season. So, when Trayvon Bromell crossed the line 0.01 seconds ahead of the reigning Olympic champion, everyone asked how Lyles could lose.

“It’s been a very busy year, especially this month of June. It’s been running, running, running, training and running. It’s been a lot of fun, but I think the first half of my European tour is done here. I am going to get back to the US and just do other stuff,” Noah Lyles said after the race.

The 28-year-old will take a break now from racing as he prepares for the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in September. Organizers recently selected Lyles as the ‘Ultimate Star’ for the event, and he will play a creative role while competing in the 100m and 200m. It’s something he’s looking forward to as he’s done something similar in the past.

“We have been doing it behind the scenes at quite a few track meets. We’ve been doing it at the New Balance Grand Prix Indoor for about 3 years now. I will be doing it in Boston after that. After 3 years, I’d say I have enough confidence to give the show a new life. We would get a fresh start, but also push the boundaries a bit. Even if we don’t get it perfect, I would say that it gives us a good start,” said the four-time 200m world champion.

While the debate around Lyles’ comments is unlikely to disappear anytime soon, Fleet’s defence highlighted why some believe in the Olympic champion. That’s because Lyles brings something to the sport beyond fast times. In two months, Lyles will get another chance to change the narrative at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest.