Noah Lyles Makes Major Decision Ahead of World Athletics Ultimate Championships

Reigning Olympic 100m champion Noah Lyles has announced he will not compete in the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championships, bringing his 2026 season to a premature close due to a persistent injury.

Noah Lyles, who also claimed the 200m world title in 2025, shared the news with his followers in a social media video on Friday, September 4. The decision was made to allow him to fully recover ahead of future competitions.

"Unfortunately, I come with some... not great news," the 29-year-old sprinter stated. "Me and my coach have decided we're going to end my 2026 season due to injury."

The Florida native explained that what initially seemed like a minor issue became more complex over time, hindering his training. The initial problem surfaced after the US national championships.

"We found out that I had a small strain, not very serious, and the rehab that we were putting together was going extremely well," the four-time world 200m champion said.

"Unfortunately, because of the strain, it caused some other things to flare up, and it’s made it hard for me to continue practising."

With his sights set on major events in the coming years, including the LA 2028 Olympics, Lyles and his team opted to prioritise his long-term health.

"We decided that we’ll just end the season here, get ready for 2027, 2028, which are going to be humongous years," he added.

Despite the setback, Lyles's 2026 campaign included a national title in the 100m and three victories on the continental gold tour circuit.

He also confirmed he still plans to be present at the World Athletics Ultimate Championships, albeit from the sidelines. "I still think that this is going to be an amazing competition," he said. "I’m excited to watch that.”

Noah Lyles will now focus on rehabilitation with the goal of making a strong comeback next year. "We’re going to kick 2027 off with a bang and give it our all.”