Noah Lyles is the fastest man alive after his 100m win at the 2023 World Championships. He also holds connections to Gainesville and the Gators.
Gainesville Sun
The title of “fastest man alive” historically has gone to the World Champion or Olympic Gold Medalist in the 100-meter race.
Throughout Olympic history, that title has been bestowed upon running legends like Carl Lewis and Usain Bolt.
This year’s favorite is Noah Lyles — the defending World Champion.
The 26-year-old followed that up with a win at Olympic Trials Sunday night with an identical 9.83 second time, a personal best.
Here’s what to know about Lyles, as well as his unique connection to Gainesville.
Who is Noah Lyles?
Lyles certainly is no newcomer on the international scene. He turned pro in 2016 and earned his first Olympic bid for the 2020 Games.
In Tokyo, Lyles won Bronze in the 200m, but that result disappointed him, and he admitted his mental health was not great leading up to the Games.
Since then, he’s been on a tear. He won back-to-back golds in the 200m at World Championships. In 2023, he also took gold in the 100m and the 4x100m.