“Where’s Noah?” That was the question echoing through Piedmont Park during the Adidas Atlanta City Games. Fans were circling, phones out, ready to capture magic. Noah Lyles, the Olympic gold medalist, the showman, the guy who came just 0.06 seconds from breaking Usain Bolt’s 150m world best, was supposed to light up the track. But… he never showed. People were still looking for him, scanning the warm-up area, and refreshing his socials. What didn’t they know? He had already pulled out. Quietly. Just one day before. Yeah. What?! Yes! It was due to injury, but no one really knew how bad it was.

But don’t worry, he didn’t ghost the city. Noah was still in Atlanta, just not in racing mode, but to sign autographs. Instead, he pulled up looking fly: black Adidas floral button-up, white shirt and tie, silver chain, and a black cap with gold studs and “GOAT” stitched on the side. No spikes, but full Lyles energy. He was signing autographs, vibing with fans, and finally dropped the update we were all waiting for. When the interviewer straight-up asked Noah, “What’s keeping you out today?”

Noah Lyles didn’t dodge it: “Unfortunately, I just got a really tight ankle,” he said. “It kind of surprisingly came around two weeks ago… We came up here thinking anything could happen; it could loosen up. But we’re just like, you know what—it’s not getting better. It’s just playing safe. I got two bars in the World Championship. There’s no need to rush anything.” Naturally, everyone wanted to know—is this going to mess up his season? Lyles shut that down real quick.

“No, I don’t believe it should,” he said. “Just a little something. Hoping that with time it’ll go away, and we’ll be right back to business as usual.” And here’s the kicker: this is the first time in six years that Lyles has missed a race due to injury. Six. Years. So yeah, Piedmont Park didn’t get its headline showdown, and fans didn’t see him blaze that 150m, but this isn’t a setback—it’s strategy. The real prize? The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September (13–21). And if you know anything about Noah Lyles, it’s this: he doesn’t miss when the lights are brightest. Remember 2024?

Noah Lyles is aiming to take the bull by the horns. But can he?

Before the Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles was making some serious noise. He wasn’t shy about his goals; he wanted four gold medals: the 100m, 200m, and both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. On top of that, he aimed to become the first guy since Usain Bolt to pull off the sprint double, winning both the 100m and 200m and breaking Bolt’s record. Then, on August 4, 2024, he made a big statement at the Stade de France.

In a super close finish, Lyles took gold in the men’s 100m with a personal best of 9.784 seconds, just barely beating Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson. That made him the first American male to win Olympic 100m gold since Justin Gatlin in 2004. Lyles said it perfectly: “It’s the one I wanted. The hard battle, the amazing opponents—everyone came ready to fight, and I wanted to prove I’m the man among them. I’m the wolf among wolves.” But the story didn’t stop there.

Just a couple of days later, even after testing positive for COVID-19 on August 6, Noah Lyles decided to race in the 200m final. That’s some serious determination. Despite everything, he pushed through and earned a bronze with a time of 19.70 seconds. Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo took gold, and fellow American Kenny Bednarek got silver. Looking back, Lyles said, “I’ve never been more proud of myself for coming out here and getting a bronze medal.”

But his four gold medals remained a dream only. But when he opened his 2025 season, everyone was sure he would keep his streak. but…  So far in 2025, Noah Lyles has hit the track twice—and wow, he’s not shy about bragging. He kicked things off by smashing the men’s 60m at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix with a slick 6.52 seconds, his fourth straight win there.

Then outdoors, he made his pro 400m debut at the Tom Jones Invitational, clocking a personal best of 45.87 seconds—way better than his 2016 time of 47.04. Not bad, right? But here’s the catch: his injury has messed with his training, so it’s not all smooth sailing. Noah loves to brag when he’s feeling confident about the World Athletics Championships, but honestly, only time will tell if he’s truly ready or just all talk.