"If you're choosing the world record, then you're a fool" - Noah Lyles on choosing between an Olympic gold medal or world record
Noah Lyles left no doubt about his athletic prowess by clinching a remarkable hat-trick of gold medals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
Lyles has consistently proven himself to be a formidable contender in the 200m event. Prior to the world championships, he disclosed his record-breaking goal of running the 100m in 9.65 seconds and the 200m in 19.10 seconds. Though Lyles fell short of breaking the world records, he secured a victory in the 100m by clocking an impressive 9.83 seconds and in the 200m by clocking in at 19.52 seconds.
In an interview with GQ Sports, he admitted that given a choice between shattering a world record and securing an Olympic gold medal, he would always choose the Olympic gold medal. Lyles, who had his sights set on breaking world records, conveyed that winning two gold medals was worth more than breaking the records.
“I was okay with that because I believed that gaining two gold medals trumped having the world record,” Lyles expressed.
“This is a huge debate that goes on in our sport: What's better, having a world record or an Olympic gold medal? And if you're choosing the world record, then you're a fool. Because somebody can come up the next day and break that record and all of a sudden people forget about you. But if you gained the gold medal, your name is now cemented in history forever. They can never forget about that,” Lyles added.
Lyles will be competing next at the final leg of the 2023 Diamond League in Eugene, Oregon on September 16 and 17, 2023.
"I never doubted that I would win the 200" - Noah Lyles on his victory at the World Athletics Championships 2023
Noah Lyles clinched the gold medal in the men's 200m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest clocking 19.52 seconds.
Lyles left behind his fellow USA team member, Erriyon Knighton, who completed the race in 19.75 seconds. Letsile Tebogo was the third sprinter to cross the finish line in 19.81 seconds.
In an interview with GQ Sports, Lyles confessed that he was confident of winning the 200m but was uncertain of achieving the record-breaking goal.
"I never doubted that I would win the 200, but I doubted that the time would be under 19:19," Lyles said.
Noah Lyles' personal best in the 200m was at the 2022 WAC on the home soil in Eugene, Oregon, clocking 19.31 seconds, making it the third-fastest time in the men's 200m, only after Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.