An Olympic champion, an eight-time World Champion, and the American record-holder in the 200m, Noah Lyles has shown that becoming a global star takes more than just winning races. Before the 100m heats at the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials, he brought out his Yu-Gi-Oh! card collection, which quite frankly shows that he knows how to get attention and deliver, as he booked his Olympic spot on the same day. It’s what makes him so popular, and it’s why he’s been announced as the “Master of Ceremonies” at the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championships event.

Lyles will also take part in the 100m and 200m sprints of this event in Budapest, which will take place from 11 to 13 September. But it’s the fact that he’ll be hosting it that adds the excitement.

Lyles will be making athlete introductions and taking over the “mic duty”. He will also have insight into the creative process behind the event production, along with being the driving force behind the “Club Ultimate”, which will be a glamorous after-party for elite athletes, with the potential for attracting huge fan and media attention.

“We couldn’t be more excited to announce this partnership with Noah Lyles, one of the biggest stars our sport has ever seen,” World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said in a statement.

“The Ultimate is intended to give athletes a spotlight in the stadium while simultaneously offering a platform for their passions beyond the track. As with our previously announced Ultimate Stars, we worked closely with Noah to develop a framework that goes beyond an ambassadorship and enables him to apply his many talents to multiple aspects of this premiere event.”

Lyles earned automatic qualification for his events, as the Ultimate Championship is designed to bring together the very best athletes in the sport. Olympic and world champions will receive automatic spots in their disciplines, along with the current Diamond League points leaders. The inaugural edition will feature 28 events, although some longer-distance disciplines, such as the 10,000m and 3,000m steeplechase, have been left off the program.

Following the lead of other sports, the Ultimate Championship has prioritized athlete input and fan entertainment, which is why the events have been condensed into a broadcast-friendly format.

None of the events will feature multiple rounds. Instead, there will be a single final to decide the winner. The financial incentive for athletes is no joke. Each event winner can take home $150,000, and the total prize pool of $10 million is among the largest in the sport’s history.

Lyles is among an elite group of athletes who have been named “Ultimate Star” for the championship in Hungary. The 28-year-old is clearly excited about the role.

Noah Lyles speaks about his role at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship

It was no surprise that Lyles was in love with the concept of the Ultimate Championship. With the fields made up of Olympic and world champions, the event is right in the American’s sweet spot, designed to get his competitive juices flowing. Moreover, for someone who has long been an ardent supporter of blending entertainment and sport, having a say in the creative direction of the event is something that would be right up Lyles’ alley.

“I love the idea of the best athletes coming together to determine who is best of the best,” said Lyles on the World Athletics website. “This will be a start in evolving the sport into a new age of sports and entertainment.”

Lyles will not be the only star in this event, with pole-vault icon Armand Duplantis also being announced as the Ultimate Star. Reigning world champion, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, and reigning Olympic champions Letsile Tebogo and Tara Davis-Woodhall will also be part of the elite group of athletes, with retired sprint legend and 100m world record holder Usain Bolt being the “Ultimate Legend” for the event.

The Ultimate Championship could be a masterstroke as it will provide fans with athletics content in the non-World Championship years, and with some of the brightest stars of the sport taking over fan engagement and entertainment, including Noah Lyles, it could be the breakthrough for the sport in terms of increased reach, especially with a younger audience.