Noah Lyles receives rare honour of 'Living Legend' in hometown Alexandria

Eight-time world champion Noah Lyles officially received a rare honour of being named a 'Living Legend of Alexandria', joining an exclusive group of distinguished community members.

The Virginia native and 11 other residents received the annual honor during a ceremony held at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, in which individuals who have made lasting and exemplary contributions to the city were recognized.

"It’s always nice to come back, it's always nice to be appreciated. It's been a blessing that I've been able to come out here and do what I love and people recognise me for it," Lyles told nbcwashington.com.

"Sometimes people just go about their day and think that that’s enough. Luckily, what I do, people get inspiration from."

The sprinter's recent accomplishments on the track have been nothing short of remarkable. In September, he secured his fourth consecutive 200m title at the World Championships in Tokyo, making him only the second man in history to achieve such a feat after Usain Bolt. At the same time, he also earned a bronze medal in the 100m and anchored the U.S. 4x100m relay team to a gold medal glory.

Lyles' success follows a stellar performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he won a gold medal in a dramatic 100-meter photo finish and a bronze in the 200m despite being diagnosed with Covid.

His recognition in his hometown also includes bing celebrated with a key to the city and an induction into the Alexandria City Public Schools’ Athletic Hall of Fame.

The mission of the Living Legends of Alexandria awards is to “identify, honor and chronicle the lives of individuals who have contributed to the community in an exemplary and lasting way,” as written by Mayor Alyia Gaskin in a letter to the recipients.