Reigning 100m World Champion? Check. Nail-biting suspense? Check. Flawless Photo Finish? Check. The 100m finals on August 4 had all the makings of a world-class race. Noah Lyles had already made it clear that he would be coming for the coveted Olympic gold. But his second-place finish in the semi-finals left a lot to be desired. Trailing behind Oblique Seville who crossed the finish line in 9.81 seconds, he finished with 9.83 seconds on the clock.

However, going into the finals, another sprinter was poised as the favorite: Kishane Thompson. As they settled into the blocks on the iconic purple tracks, most expected the Jamaican to emerge victorious. But the 2020 Tokyo bronze medalist turned heads as he made his way ahead of his competitors, claiming the top step of the podium with a new personal best. He had truly walked the talk. In the latest episode of ‘The Night Cap,’ the 27-year-old spills the beans on how he made it happen.

Noah Lyles is BIG on self-care

It’s no secret that Noah Lyles oozes confidence. But that trait came very close to derailing his Olympic dream in the 100m finals. Shannon Sharpe asked the Olympian what his strategy was going into the race. “To be honest, I had many strategies, and the problem was I thought too much and then I underestimated my competition.” The heats and the semis didn’t prove to be as fruitful, but he clawed his way through the finals. How did he pull off such an iconic win?

Shortly before he arrived to the French capital, the 27-year-old clinched an easy win in a new personal best of 9.81 seconds in the London Diamond League. This was all the reassurance he needed before the Summer Games. However, things didn’t pan out the way he wanted during the heats on August 3. “It’s like I need to calm my brain down. I needed to get it set on one goal so we get to the semi-finals.” With a slow start off the block, he couldn’t move past Louie Hinchliffe. The Brit crossed the finish line in 9.98 seconds, Lyles followed shortly after in 10.04 seconds.

However, this didn’t sit well with the world champion. “You know I feel like I can go even faster, you know I didn’t wanna get beat. So here I am comin’, getting second in the semi’s.” Unsure of why he fell short, his therapist came in clutch for him. “My therapist calls me and she’s like ‘You’re running with aggression. You’re running with a Noah that is not you. Just go out there and run,'” he told Sharpe and Johnson. But that wasn’t all he was told.

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Lyles continued, “She said ‘If you control the crowd, you control the race.'” This seems to be right up the Olympian’s alley. He even admitted it, “And I know, I’m like shoot that’s how I do. I’m a showman, that’s what I do, you know? All I do is be Noah.” That’s the mindset he had going into the finals. “If that’s all that takes imma win the race. And it’s not about running fast times, it’s about runnin’ to win. The times will come when you run to win.” He edged out Kishane Thompson for the top spot with a stunning photo finish of 9.79 seconds in the finals.

Therapy has played a pivotal role in his life

Noah Lyles has been very vocal about his thoughts throughout his journey. One of the things he’s never shied away from is admitting that he undergoes therapy. “Mental health isn’t its own entity. It’s everyday life,” according to the Olympian. However, this shone through at the Indoor Grand Prix event in February. In the post race interview, the 27-year-old was asked if he put any pressure on himself knowing it’s the Olympic season.

Cool as a cucumber, he admitted that he had. “I think I’d rather just keep up the pace. I just want to keep going tomorrow. That’s all I want. And I woke up with the joy of tomorrow, and I’ve been energetic all day.” The 2020 Tokyo Games proved to be heartbreaking for the sprinter. But he didn’t want that to define him, all he wanted to do was be Noah Lyles. Even though his Olympic journey did come to a crashing halt soon after, that sentiment came through at the Stade de France.