"That kind of really messed up my view of church"- Noah Lyles opens up on leaving North Carolina due to strict restrictions

By Janhavi Shinde

Modified Aug 17, 2024 05:01 GMT

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Noah Lyles recently opened up on his upbringing in a strict religious cult. After his recent triumph at the Paris Olympics 2024, Lyles disclosed the detailed aspects of his childhood experience in a cult.

At the Paris Games, the American sprinter clinched a gold medal in the 100m after a photo-tight finish, surpassing Jamaica's Kishane Thompson with a needle-thin gap. Further, Lyles also bagged a bronze medal in the 200m despite suffering from COVID-19.

In an episode of "Everybody Wants To Be Us," the American sprinter stated that his upbringing in the cult distorted his church view entirely. He revealed that the cult he grew up in required the mothers to homeschool their children and widely accepted the belief within the group that fathers held the ultimate authority in the household.

The sprinter then left for North Carolina with his mother, only to encounter a similar situation, which deepened their already complicated views on church, and decided to leave the state.

“I actually grew up in a cult,” Lyles said. “It was a cult. It just wasn’t at the level of, ‘Yeah, okay. We’re gonna drink the Kool-Aid.' But it was super strict," (at 21:22).

"So, we left that, but that kind of really messed up my view of church and it definitely messed up my mom’s view," he added.

"God's will" - Noah Lyles reflects on his illustrious athletics journey

Noah Lyles of Team USA celebrates with his men's 200m bronze medal at the Stade de France during the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. (Photo via Getty Images)

Despite revealing his skewed views on the church during the "Everybody Wants To Be Us" podcast, Noah Lyles implied that his faith remains intact.

Following his victorious streak at the Paris Olympics, Lyles shared a video on social media with the fans, reflecting on his athletics journey. The video included Lyles' competition footage, including multiple Diamond Leagues and his career's most prominent moment, when he clinched three gold medals at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

The video ends with Lyles' 100m victory celebration in the French capital where he is heard saying "America, I told you I got this." Sharing the video, the Olympian champion attributed his success to God.

"Gods will > Man’s will," he wrote.

Noah Lyles clocked a stunning time of 9.79 (9.784) seconds in the 100m to collect a gold medal and 19.70 seconds in the 200m to earn a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.