Noah Lyles Brushes Off Nerves Before Facing Akani Simbine and Letsile Tebogo in 100m Debut

Noah Lyles Brushes Off Nerves Before Facing Akani Simbine and Letsile Tebogo in 100m Debut

Noah Lyles Brushes Off Nerves Before Facing Akani Simbine and Letsile Tebogo in 100m Debut

Abigael Wafula 18:30 - 18.07.2025

Noah Lyles says he feels excited, not nervous, ahead of his 100m season debut against top sprinters Akani Simbine and Letsile Tebogo in London.

Noah Lyles will be lining up for his first 100m of the season at the Diamond League Meeting in London on Saturday, and he insists he is not under pressure.

The reigning world 100m champion was forced to postpone his 200m and 100m season openers due to an injury that saw him miss two full months of action.

He made his outdoor debut at the Tom Jones Memorial in April, competing in the 4x100m and 400m before taking a long break to recover.

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Noah Lyles made a return to the track at the Diamond League Meeting in Monaco, competing in his first 200m of the season, where he claimed a dominant win.

He now lines up against a strong field comprising Akani Simbine, Oblique Seville, Zharnel Hughes, Ackeem Blake and Letsile Tebogo among other sprinting stars in London, as he eyes another win in his first 100m of the season.

Noah Lyles: I Would Say I’m More Excited

Noah Lyles
Noah Lyles after winning the men's 200m event at the Monaco Diamond League.

The three-time world 200m champion revealed that he is not afraid of going up against his opponents, noting that it will help him become a better sprinter.

Noah Lyles added that if he loses the race, he will be motivated to do better in the upcoming races, and if he wins, he will have gained the confidence to continue making a mark on the global stage.

“No, I wouldn’t say I’m nervous. I would say I’m more excited than anything because I was waiting to start my season. Of course, the injury prevented that, but thankfully, I was able to get past that, and I’m not rushing,” Noah Lyles said in a pre-race press conference.

“Things have been progressing extremely well because every day I get faster, and we are now putting everything to the task. It’s great competition, and that’s what we always want.

“You always want to compete at the highest level with the best people, and when you don’t get the win, there is a fire in the belly. If you get the win, you keep pushing.”

With his injury now behind him and confidence building, Noah Lyles heads into his 100m season debut in London focused, fearless, and ready to test himself against the best.