In just a few years, Noah Lyles has become the poster boy of global track and field. He may still be chasing Usain Bolt’s legendary status, but his name is the first to surface whenever sprinting takes center stage. With six world championship gold medals, the American sensation stands among the most recognizable figures in the sport. Yet, as Uncle Ben once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” For Lyles, the rock grounding him and his mother through any turbulence is his mom, Keisha Caine Bishop.

Noah Lyles understands that the title of “World’s fastest man” carries weight far beyond the track. While having a conversation with NBC, the athlete was asked about the mental toll that comes with fame. He admitted that it’s not easy. Fame, after all, is a double-edged sword.

“I’d say it comes with a lot of pressure, as long as you’re yourself, nothing is hard.”

For Lyles, that pressure isn’t his cross to carry solely. His mother, Keisha Caine Bishop, captured the reality of their shared journey.

“The mental load is very heavy. The mental load is very heavy, not just on the athlete but also the family, because our life has changed so much pursuing a dream we had as a family, and now when you go places, people recognize you, so you have to move differently.”

With a massive following all across the world, the 200m world champion comes from a conservative household built on a single mantra.

“In our house, we call it ‘BBA,’ bounce back ability,” revealed Caine in her conversation with the Olympics. His mother has been a pillar throughout his journey, shaping both his mindset and resilience.

“My mom is a hard worker. I remember her saying constantly, ‘I don’t care what the job is; as long as I’m able to make money for my family, I’ll do the job. And I will do it to the best of my ability.” The track star even gave her a fitting title, “momager” (mom + manager), considering the fact that she has been there for everyone in her family, wearing multiple hats at once.

The statement is further made credible by Noah Lyles’ fiancée, Junelle Bromfield, who explained the pivotal role mama Lyles played in pulling her out of her misery after the loss of her mother in January 2021 after a long-drawn battle with cervical cancer.

“I want to give a big shout-out to my boyfriend and his mom because when I went to Florida, I wasn’t driving, and she took me to training and back every day, which was like 40 minutes. That’s a support that I’m extremely grateful for.”

Healing hasn’t been easy, but in Keisha Caine Bishop, she found something she feared she’d lost forever, a motherly presence. Not just Keisha, but the entire family gives mental health utmost importance.

Noah Lyles and Keisha Caine Bishop talk about mental health openly

Back in 2020, Noah Lyles went through depression after the COVID-19 pandemic turned the world topsy-turvy. Since then, he has consistently advocated for mental health. Lyles works with two therapists, a sports therapist and a personal life therapist, to manage both performance pressure and personal challenges.

When asked how he clears his head of random thoughts, he kept it simple and direct.

“I’m just me. I’m so focused on my goal. I’m so into what I want, it’s already being perfected.” His guilty pleasure after a packed day? “Salted caramel milkshake from Five Guys.”

Raising two world-class athletes hasn’t been easy for Keisha Caine Bishop. Even in the face of adversity, she never allowed anything to come between her grind and her family. In fact, she followed three simple mantras while raising them.

“I have three tips for you. Number 1 – Let your kid have fun, please. I did not force Noah and Josephus to run tracks. They run it because they loved it and because they have fun. ”

“Number 2- Be proud of your kids. Whether they win, lose, or draw. As long as they do their best, make sure that they know that is good enough.”

“Number 3- It can be a lot of pressure to run track, to go to school, do your homework sometimes apply to college… Make sure your kid knows that you are a safe place to lie on and if it really becomes too much or you wanna make sure that your kid doesn’t lose their identity, they (can) perhaps think about sports psychologist.”

Her mantra is simple: support your kids and be proud of both their wins and their wobbles. Lyles has benefited from that mindset throughout his entire career. Looking ahead, he is focused on delivering at the 2027 World Championships and the 2028 Olympics.