Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 10 - Source: Getty — Noah Lyles competes at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024: Day 10 - Source: Getty

How did Noah Lyles perform in his first 400m race in 9 years?All about the Olympic gold medalist's surprise season opener

Modified Apr 20, 2025 16:49 GMT

Noah Lyles made a surprise appearance at the Tom Jones Memorial and competed in his first race of the season. To everyone's surprise, the Olympic gold medalist competed in the 400m and clocked a personal best in his first-ever professional race individually across the distance.

The American athlete announced on his official social media account that he would compete in the 400m hours before the race and made a bold claim of setting a new personal best. Noah Lyles had previously competed in the 400m in 2016 and held a personal best of 47.04s.

"Today will be my first pro 400m! Pr or Bust!" he wrote.

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Lyles clocked a new personal best of 45.87s in his first-ever pro 400m race and finished fifth in the heats at the Tom Jones Memorial. The American began the race with great momentum, however, he could not hold on until the final moments of the race and struggled in the final stretch due to heavy lactate accumulation.

You can watch the final stretch of the race here:

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Jacory Patterson of Cique Elite Track Club clocked 44.2s to clinch the top position in the heat. Along with a 400m appearance, Noah Lyles' team included PJ Austin, Erriyon Knighton, and Christian Coleman and competed in the 4x100m relay. They clocked 37.90s to clinch the victory by showcasing great dominance on the track.

When Noah Lyles opened up about competing in a diverse range of events

Noah Lyles at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Noah Lyles spoke about competing in a diverse range of events before the Paris Olympics as he aimed to break the legendary athlete Usain Bolt's record of winning three Olympic gold medals in one edition of the quadrennial games. The American athlete revealed that he had aimed to win 4 gold medals at the Paris Olympics.

He spoke to USA Today and shared that to achieve the massive goal, he will have to widen his horizons and compete in multiple events, including the 4x400m relay, which would be out of his comfort zone. However, after a dominant run at the World Championships in 2023, he was confident of pushing his limits.

“That’s right. I want to do all that. Last year, I did the double. This year we’ve gone very strong in the weight room, and it’s been able to give me the ability to handle more load. I think I was able to prove that when we went over to Glasgow," he said.

Lyles ultimately concluded his Paris Olympics campaign with one gold medal in the 100m and a bronze medal in the 200m.

About the author

Adityan is a journalist and Content Manager for US Olympics Sports at Sportskeeda. He is a professional track & field athlete who competes in the 400m and 800m. This decade-long experience has taught him a lot about sports psychology, mindset, and passion, which he incorporates through his work to get the best outcome.

To make sure the content he delivers is genuine, Adityan keeps a tab on the official websites and the official social media channels of athletes and organizations. Before putting any information out in the public domain, he looks at the content from a fan’s perspective to connect with the readers as much as possible.

With a knack for crafting compelling narratives and insightful analysis, Adityan seamlessly blends his expertise in sports with his talent for storytelling, captivating readers and enthusiasts alike.

He has followed Usain Bolt's career very closely, and for him, the Jamaican defending his 100m gold in Rio is the greatest Olympic achievement of all time. Adityan indulges in traveling, trekking, off-roading, and hiking when not occupied with work.

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