Noah Lyles doesn’t just show up to race. In true athlete fashion, he arrives to rattle, disarm, and dominate. Before the starting gun even fires, he’s already competing. Psychologically. For some, it’s just confidence. For others, it’s calculated chaos. But for Joseph Fahnbulleh, the games Lyles plays go deeper than showmanship. They’re personal, and they work. And without mincing his words, Joseph is offering a closer look at a sprinting superstar’s action right before a race. And guess who agrees…

Fahnbulleh’s encounter with Lyles at the 2024 Tom Jones Memorial wasn’t on a grand world stage. But to him, it revealed everything. “I was pi–ed,” the Liberian sprinter admitted bluntly while speaking to Justin Gatlin on the Ready Set Go podcast on the June 13 episode. In his explanation, as the runners lined up, locked into their zones, Lyles was doing what he does best.

Getting into heads, Joseph reveals, “He’s coming around shaking hands, trying to be all funny. I’m locked in, the finish line’s in my sights, and here he is trying to shake my hand like it’s a reunion,” he added. To most viewers, it might’ve seemed harmless. But in the heat of battle, Lyles’ humor became a trigger. “Bro, come on now,” Fahnbulleh said. “I’m trying to chill, trying to stay focused, and here he is throwing it off.” What followed was a disorienting experience.

A false start. Then another attempt. Fahnbulleh tried to re-focus, but everything turned gray. “I didn’t even see the finish line,” he said. “I just ran.” The confusion, the adrenaline, and the mental clutter. He traced it all back to Lyles’ pre-race tactics. And while he didn’t name it directly, it was clear. Lyles had thrown him off his game. But what seemed like irritation also pointed to something deeper. Respect for the strategic edge that Noah Lyles brings. Because love it or hate it, Lyles doesn’t just race the clock. He races minds.

Gatlin, a man who’s raced the world’s fastest for nearly two decades, recognized that instinct immediately. In Fahnbulleh, he saw not just an emotional reaction, but the same fire that once fueled his own career. “You ever watch The Last Dance with Michael Jordan?” Gatlin asked. “He had to make up reasons to stay emotionally charged. That’s what I did, too. I became Jay Gat,” Gatlin added. It was a persona. Ruthless, driven, ice-cold. “Jay Gat didn’t care,” Gatlin explained. “He showed up to take your money, your food, your spot. And he only came out every 9 or 19 seconds.”

That mindset, Gatlin believed, is what separates the good from the great. And in Fahnbulleh, he saw a glimpse of that same potential. Just need the right emotional spark. “That finish line becomes closer when you tap into it,” Gatlin said. “When you flip that switch.” The challenge, then, isn’t just about countering Lyles’ games. It’s about using them. Letting the agitation sharpen your edge, not dull it.

Fahnbulleh nodded in agreement. He spoke about those critical training moments. When his coach knew exactly how to provoke that switch. “He knows our buttons,” Fahnbulleh said. “Sometimes he smashes them, and we go crazy. It’s like, ‘What just happened?’” There were days when the coach would say, “We’re thugging today,” and push the group to their limits. That’s when something unlocked. “You feel that desperation,” Fahnbulleh said. “You chase that finish line like it’s life or death.”

Both Gatlin and Fahnbulleh understood that racing at the highest level isn’t just physical. It’s psychological warfare. And in Lyles, they acknowledged a master of that craft. For all his jokes and antics, he’s not playing around. He’s calculating, studying, and exploiting. He doesn’t just run past you. He tries to live in your head before the race even begins. It’s an edge he’s crafted carefully. And it’s working. Because even when his rivals know what he’s doing, it still gets to them.

Noah Lyles’ next move…

Lyles has unfinished business in London. After lighting up the British capital with record-breaking runs over the past two seasons, the American sprint star is eyeing another explosive performance when he returns for the London Athletics Meet on July 19. This time, he’ll toe the line in the 100m, his form sharp, his intent clear, and his sights firmly set on Tokyo.

The 27-year-old has built a special connection with the London track. It was here in 2023 that Lyles produced a then-season’s best of 19.47 in the 200m, a statement win that foreshadowed his triple gold at the World Championships a month later. He returned in 2024 to claim the 100m in a personal best of 9.81, a mark he later eclipsed with a 9.79 en route to Olympic glory. “My road to defending my world titles in Tokyo in September goes through London,” Lyles declared, underlining just how pivotal this stage has become in his championship buildup.

Fuelled by momentum and a recent 400m personal best of 45.87, Lyles is treating London not just as another stop, but as a springboard. With four individual world titles already under his belt, including the 200m crown he’s held since 2019, every race is a rehearsal for global dominance. And if history is any indicator, when Lyles says he’s looking forward to running fast, he usually delivers something unforgettable.