Noah Lyles may have surrendered his 100m crown at the World Athletics Championships to Oblique Seville, but he roared back in trademark fashion, storming to his fourth straight 200m title and tying Usain Bolt’s legendary record. With Beijing 2027 on the horizon, Lyles is determined to etch his name above Bolt’s by chasing an unprecedented fifth victory. But beyond the track, the world’s fastest man is experiencing a different race altogether, one of faith. After years away, Lyles has found what appears to be a powerful spiritual awakening, marking his return to Jesus Christ.
Recently, Noah Lyles took to Instagram to share a heartfelt video that drew admiration from friends and family. The 200m world champion, alongside his fiancée, Jamaican 4×400m relay runner Junelle Bromfield, revealed that they had been baptized in the name of Christ. Lyles captioned the post with Joshua 24:15: “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Over the years, Lyles has always felt the pull to faith after growing up in a sectarian environment. Following his 100m gold triumph at the Paris Olympics, Lyles told Premier Christian Radio that his victory was rooted in God, saying, “I had to find my own journey with God, and a lot of that came through track because there were a lot of times where I thought I didn’t know if I could do this.”
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He recalled saying, “God, if you really want me to do this, give me a sign. He gave me a sign, and I said, ‘I’ll never doubt You again.’” Beating Kishane Thompson in that race became a huge motivator for him. Before stepping onto the starting blocks, Lyles repeatedly mouthed, “Thank you, God. Thank you, God.” In his post-race chat with BBC Sport, the 27-year-old was asked about his final thought before the sprint. With a grin, he simply replied: “Thank you, God.”
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Noah Lyles’ faith has been a cornerstone in his battle of personal and professional storms. He has been candid about his battles with mental health, including bouts of depression and anxiety, and has passionately advocated for breaking the stigma surrounding seeking help. Growing up, Lyles was raised secludedly where his parents homeschooled him and his brothers. It wasn’t until he moved to North Carolina that he began to discover his own path to Jesus, a journey that started slowly but grew steadily.
His mother’s words always stayed with him: “When I was young, she said, ‘When you lack faith, ask for a test and he will provide the test.’” Despite all the injuries and challenges he faced this season, the athlete still triumphed to claim the 200m title. With his faith restored in the Lord, the athlete is looking forward to his next quest.
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Noah Lyles on the road to break Usain Bolt’s records
“I can’t wait for 2027 to become the only man to win five 200m titles,” said Noah Lyles in a conversation with The Guardian. The American has now equaled Usain Bolt’s record of four consecutive 200m World Championship titles and is aiming to surpass it. Lyles is among the few athletes of his generation chasing Bolt’s legendary marks, and the Jamaican seems slightly unsettled. In a recent interview with The Times, Bolt remarked, “They’re running faster and faster times [with the new shoes]. I’m just saying, ‘You can’t run faster with brand new spikes?’ We’re just way more talented men.”
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That jab didn’t go unnoticed, as Noah Lyles has now responded. In an interview with La Gazzetta Dello Sport, the 200m world champion said, “Next season will be a season without any major global events, without any major stress: it’s natural for me to look beyond that. But in reality, I have a more immediate goal. I still have to talk to Coach B (Lance Brauman) about it, but I’d like to create the right opportunity to go after Bolt’s 19.19 world record.”
Noah Lyles is the third-fastest man in history, behind Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. With his eyes set on a new target, the athlete is looking forward to next year to challenge the record. Whether he will succeed remains to be seen.