Noah Lyles: How US Star Made Diamond League History in 2025

US sprint star Noah Lyles made history in 2025 defying significant setbacks to claim a record-breaking sixth Diamond League title in the 200m.

The season was anything but straightforward for the Olympic champion, yet it ended in familiar fashion: with Lyles standing atop the podium, arms raised, and biceps flexed in triumph at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich.

Lyles’ victory in the Wanda Diamond League Final was a microcosm of his tumultuous year. Facing Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, Lyles had to dig incredibly deep, coming from behind to snatch victory by a fraction of a second. 

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However, when the stakes were highest, he delivered a performance that cemented his legacy.

"Six is a big number. I heard that is the highest number in track! That’s another record in the list and it is pretty nice to have that," Lyles grinned as he clutched his Diamond Trophy in Zurich as quoted by Diamond League portal.

Lyles' dreams of retaining his world dominance were threatened early in the year by a tendon injury that sidelined him until July. With the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo looming, he had a mere two months to reach peak fitness.

His return at the Monaco Diamond League was explosive—a 19.88 victory in the 200m that served as a direct rebuttal to his defeat by Tebogo in the previous year's Olympic final.

 Yet, Lyles remained pragmatic. He viewed every Diamond League meeting not just as a competition, but as a critical test run for Tokyo. This approach meant accepting rare defeats, particularly in the 100m, where he fell to Oblique Seville in London and Lausanne, and to Kishane Thompson in Silesia.

Despite these losses, Lyles remained focused on the bigger picture. After finishing second to Thompson with a season’s best of 9.90, he was optimistic.

"It is a great stepping stone. I needed to see a sub 10. I needed to see winning, beating people, I took out some really big heads today. I am getting the confidence. It makes me really excited for Tokyo. The more I run, the better I am getting. I get more excited each day and it is working."

By late August, Lyles had one final opportunity to prove his readiness. Entering the Wanda Diamond League Final as a wild card, he was desperate to lay down a marker against Tebogo. 

The resulting race was a thriller, with Lyles reeling in his rival to cross the line in 19.74.

That victory secured his status as the most successful track athlete in Diamond League history. 

More importantly, it propelled him toward Tokyo, where he would go on to win a fourth straight world title. 

In a season defined by injury and chasing the pack, Noah Lyles proved once again that he knows exactly how to conquer the world.