“I’m super excited because I’m seeing the progression. I mean, third race of the year, or third hundred of the year, and I’m already seeing I’m back into 9.90, you know, if the wind blew a little bit, it would have been a 9.89 race. I mean, you can’t get more excited than that,” Noah Lyles said with visible delight during the pre-race press conference in Lausanne. On August 20, he was gearing up for his fourth Diamond League appearance of the outdoor season—two of them in the 100m and another in the 200m. But here’s where things get interesting.

At the Monaco Diamond League, Noah Lyles got the better of Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo in the 200m, avenging his defeat to the young sprinter in the Paris Olympic final. But when it came to the 100m, the story was different. Lyles fell short in both of his Diamond League outings over the distance—first to Oblique Seville at the London meet, then to Kishane Thompson at the Silesia stop. The London loss marked Lyles’s third setback against Seville in just 14 months, while Silesia amplified Kishane’s victory as sweet revenge for the Olympic defeat he had suffered at Noah’s hands in Paris. And then, in Lausanne, Lyles once again faced Seville in the 100m, determined to put on a blazing show and flip the script. But this time too, things didn’t unfold the way he had hoped.

On August 20, battling rain and a headwind, Oblique Seville once again pulled away from the Olympic champion, clocking 9.87 seconds and dealing Noah Lyles yet another setback. For the American, it marked a third straight defeat in global 100m races this season, and the post-race discussion exposed more than just frustration over his sluggish start. A disappointed Lyles admitted, “I just had a really bad reaction to the gun after that. There’s not much I could do.” Fans had already highlighted this weakness after the Silesia meet, but Lausanne made it clear that several issues on his end remain unresolved. Yet beyond these technical flaws, there’s an even more troubling narrative emerging—one that could become a serious obstacle for Lyles heading into the Tokyo World Championships.

For the first time in his senior career, Noah Lyles has suffered three straight 100m defeats in a single season—all at the hands of his Jamaican rivals. Two of those losses have come courtesy of Oblique Seville. But since stepping onto the senior circuit in 2017, Lyles had never faced such a streak of setbacks. True, at the London Diamond League, he clocked his fastest-ever season opener, but even that came alongside a loss to Seville. At present, the Jamaican sprinter holds the upper hand over Noah in the 100m battle. Allow us to add another layer there…

On August 20, 2023, Lyles defeated Seville in the 100m final at the Budapest World Championships. But then, exactly a year later, Seville flipped the script and avenged that defeat. A perfect full-circle moment? 

Perhaps. But what’s certain is that the win gave Oblique Seville a major confidence boost. Reflecting on his performance, he said, “Running 9.87 in those conditions shows I can go much faster anywhere in the world. That’s a good time.” Now, reports also confirm that Seville won’t compete again before the Tokyo World Championships. Which means, if Noah wants to even the score, he’ll have to wait until then. The real question now—will he be ready?

Noah Lyles isn’t giving up on his hope  

Noah Lyles’ sluggish reaction at the blocks is clearly costing him in the 100m, but his top-end speed is still world-class. On August 20, he needed 6.51 seconds to clear the first 50m, while Oblique Seville blazed through in 6.41. Yet over the last 50m, Lyles matched Seville stride for stride, both covering it in 3.46 seconds. The takeaway?

If Noah can clean up his start, his form could shift from shaky to dominant in no time.

And he knows it.

Speaking after the race, the Olympic champion said, “The goal is to sharpen the details, especially my drive phase and my start, heading to Tokyo and the World Championships.” Later that day, he echoed his mindset on social media with a post quoting Galatians 6:9. “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” So, now, here comes the big question.

With his faith, speed, and determination all aligned, can Noah turn things around and reclaim control of the 100m when it matters most in Tokyo?