Noah Lyles: Why One Gold Medal Is Not Enough After Usain Bolt Era

American sprinter Noah Lyles has opened up about his relentless drive to win multiple medals, explaining that a single victory is insufficient in the shadow of Usain Bolt's legendary career.

Noah Lyles, who successfully defended his 200m and 4x100m relay titles at the 2025 World Championships, is determined to "make your own mark" on the sport.

His fourth consecutive world title in the 200m places him in elite company, making him only the second man after Usain Bolt to achieve the feat.

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This came after a stellar 2023 season where he was crowned the world's fastest man with victories in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay.

Noah Lyles then entered the Paris Olympic Games in 2024 as a strong favourite but faced a challenging campaign. He secured the 100m gold by a razor-thin margin of just five-thousandths of a second over Kishane Thompson but had to settle for bronze in the 200m while battling illness.

The current season also started slowly for the champion, with early losses to Oblique Seville before he rediscovered his dominant form in July, culminating in his success at the 2025 World Championships.

In a recent interview with CNBC-TV18, Noah Lyles elaborated on his motivation, stressing the need to build a unique legacy to captivate audiences and elevate track and field.

"It’s all about your reasoning. Mine was again transforming the sport. Knowing that one medal isn’t enough, especially when you are coming right after the Bolt era. So yeah, you got to make your own mark," Noah Lyles explained.

"You got to make your own journey. You got to carve your own path and constantly push forward, knowing that just because you got the first one doesn’t mean anything. You know the human attention span is very short."

While Noah Lyles continues to accumulate titles, Bolt's 100m and 200m world records remain the benchmark for sprinters worldwide.

The intense pressure of elite competition can impact any athlete's mental health, and Lyles has been open about his own experiences.

Often in the spotlight for his performances and outspoken comments, he has faced public scrutiny throughout his career.

In a media session last December, Noah Lyles credited his inner circle for keeping him grounded and holding him accountable. He emphasised that he values their feedback and is not swayed by the opinions of outsiders.

Recently, Noah Lyles served as the international ambassador for the 2025 Bajaj Pune Marathon in India, an event he promoted alongside Jamaican sprinting icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to champion inclusivity and inspire a new generation of athletes.