Paris 2024 - Athletics - Source: Getty — Noah Lyles and family couldn't afford an $11 shoe in early years (Photo-Getty)

"Walmart shoes might be like $11 - we couldn’t afford it": When Noah Lyles revealed a 'heartbreaking' story of his family's struggles

Modified Aug 06, 2024 08:32 GMT

Noah Lyles is arguably the highest-paid sprinter in the world at the moment. As he adds an Olympic gold medal from the ongoing 2024 Paris Games to his achievements, his net worth is only going to increase.

However, there was a point in his life when he couldn't afford an $11 shoe.

Lyles was born into an athletic family. His parents met as students and track and field athletes at Seton Hall University, and led a young Noah and his brother Josephus to eventually take up the sport as well. Before sprinting, Noah had tried his hand at gymnastics and high jump.

The world champion's parents separated when he was 13, and it has been his mother Keisha Caine Bishop who has managed everything for Lyles since. The 27-year-old said he has learned key qualities such as setting goals and chasing them from his mother, who he also calls his inspiration.

Following Lyles' maiden gold medal win at the Paris Olympics, the American sprinter claimed that he wants his own signature shoe. He will likely get it soon but as per the Olympian, there was a time when he couldn't even afford an $11-worth pair of sneakers from Walmart. In a letter to his mother written in 2019, he notes that she had to explain to him and his brother why they couldn't buy it (via World Athletics):

"I’ll never forget this one time, where we went to Walmart. Josephus and I wanted to get a pair of shoes from Walmart – and you know Walmart shoes might be like $11 – you had to explain to us that we couldn’t afford it at the time. And I know that must have been heartbreaking for you. The way that you raised us, it blows my mind how I’m so lucky to have a mom like you."

Noah Lyles pushing for his ‘own show, own trainer’

Lyles emerged triumphant in an incredibly close final in Paris. He clocked 9.79s, narrowly edging out Jamaica's Kishane Thompson by five-thousandths of a second.

The USA's Noah Lyles (C) at the Olympic Games - Paris 2024 - Source: Getty

Speaking with reporters after his maiden gold medal-winning race at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles stated that he wants his own shoe and trainer, a common thing in other sports like soccer.

"I want my own shoe. I want my own trainer. Dead serious. I want a sneaker, ain’t no money in spikes. There’s money in sneakers. I feel like for how many medals we bring back, the notoriety we get, the fact that it hasn’t happened is crazy to me. That needs to happen."

Lyles is going after a historic double in the coming days, and if does win it, there's a good chance Adidas does give him a signature shoe.