Noah Lyles is back! And this time, the king of sprinting is stepping off the stadium track and into the heart of the city. The six-time world champion and reigning Olympic 100m gold medalist will headline the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games on Saturday, May 17. Held on a custom-built elevated track in Atlanta’s iconic Piedmont Park, this unique street meet will see Lyles take on the rarely run 150 meters. A perfect blend of raw power and blazing top-end speed.

His return couldn’t come at a more crucial moment. Just days ago, Team USA faltered at the 2025 World Relays, suffering a shock elimination in the men’s 4x400m and a painful baton drop in the mixed 4x100m. Once seen as a dominant force, the American squad has been reeling. But now, with Lyles back in the headlines and ready to ignite the track in Atlanta, redemption may be just one explosive run away.

A tweet by Track & Field Gazette on X highlighted, “Men’s 150m entries – Atlanta City Games 🇺🇸 Noah Lyles, 🇬🇧 Zharnel Hughes, 🇩🇴 Alexander Ogando, 🇰🇪 Ferdinand Omanyala, 🇧🇸 Terrence Jones.” And just like that, the showdown is set. A sprinting summit packed with world-class firepower.

And Lyles won’t just line up to run. With six world titles, Olympic gold in the 100m, and the American record in the 200m, Noah Lyles is a walking headline, a showman chasing history one explosive stride at a time. And now, the announcement is official. Lyles will headline the 2025 Adidas Atlanta City Games on May 17, where he’ll step into unfamiliar but thrilling territory. The 150 meters! It’s a hybrid distance tailor-made for a sprinter who thrives in the space between raw acceleration and top-end domination.

Of course, the spotlight won’t be his alone. Grant Holloway, the undisputed force in hurdles with Olympic gold and six World Championship titles, is set to storm through the 110m hurdles. Meanwhile, Anna Hall, fresh off a World silver in the heptathlon, will test her range in the 100m hurdles and long jump. But it’s Lyles who sets the tone. On the track and off it. Whether he’s stirring the pot with playful jabs at NFL stars like Tyreek Hill or pitching bold new ideas like a Grand Slam for track and field, he keeps the sport buzzing with energy. His gear, down to his custom spikes, reflects that same energy. Bold, sharp, and unapologetically elite!

Before the main event takes over Piedmont Park’s elevated straightaway, the day will kick off with a different kind of electricity. And when the clock strikes 3:00 p.m., all eyes return to the pros. With Noah Lyles anchoring the action in his signature flair, the Adidas Atlanta City Games didn’t just announce his next race, they unveiled another chapter in the legend of one of track and field’s most captivating stars.

Can a 2025 world title seal Noah Lyles’ sprinting legacy?

Noah Lyles’ résumé in the 100 meters is already dazzling. He holds both Olympic and World Championship golds in the distance, thanks to his show-stopping runs in Paris and Budapest. Add to that a 2019 Diamond League title, four individual Diamond League 100m wins. And two U.S. national titles, one of which he currently holds. And you’ve got a sprinting legacy that’s hard to question. But the upcoming 2025 World Championships present a different kind of challenge. Not just another medal, but a defining moment. According to several seasoned voices in the sport, this race could be the one that either cements Lyles’ place among the 100m greats or leaves the conversation open.

That was the heart of a passionate debate aired May 8 on The Final Leg Track & Field podcast, where Anderson Emerole, Anson Henry, and Coach Rob unpacked the question, “Can Noah Lyles enter the 100m GOAT discussion in 2025?” Coach Rob didn’t hesitate, making a compelling case that Lyles should be taken seriously in the all-time conversation, “If he does win the world in the 100 again. Because we now say he is officially the king of this era…” That quote hits harder when you realize it’s not just about wins. It’s about Lyles commanding an era stacked with competition and depth. And if he does pull it off? Rob’s take goes even further, “He’s in the GOAT discussion, meaning like he’s on the Mount Rushmore.” Not just greatness! Monumental greatness, the kind that deserves a carved spot.

Anson Henry echoed the sentiment, even while admitting his own doubts. “Even me this year I’m kind of doubting he’ll be able to do it right, but he always rectifies doubts… he has rectified my doubts time after time after time, which is commendable.” Still, Anderson Emerole offered a dose of perspective, pointing to legends like Carl Lewis who won two Olympic and two World titles in the 100 and Justin Gatlin, whose collection spans all Olympic medal colors and multiple World titles. Yet, Henry countered with a modern twist: Noah’s path hasn’t been easier. It’s been tougher. He’s dominating in an era where the 100m is deeper, more competitive, and arguably harder to rule.