Noah Lyles on How Faith Fuels His Dominance Ahead of Tokyo World Championships Treble Defense

As Noah Lyles prepares to defend his hat-trick of titles in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and the 4x100 meter men’s relay at the upcoming Tokyo World Championships, he has reflected on how faith has enabled him to achieve his success so far.

Lyles is up against it in the quest to successfully defend his titles and cement his outspoken status as the modern sprinting king.

In the 100 meters, he will face tough competition from Oblique Seville — who has already beaten him twice this year — Kishane Thompson, widely considered his closest challenger, as well as Letsile Tebogo and Kenny Bednarek, who have both been in strong form.

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In the 200 meters, Tebogo and Bednarek are again expected to push him hard and make life uncomfortable for the defending champion in Japan.

Speaking to Real Talk With Tee following his Diamond League win in Zurich a fortnight ago, Lyles explained how his belief and confidence always manage to get him over the line in the races that truly matter, thanks to the Almighty.

“To be honest, it’s God. A lot of faith. Me and Janelle have been putting a lot of time into not only listening to God, but looking at His path,” Lyles said.

 “I’ve been very confident that He put me here for a reason, and I shouldn’t doubt it. If I’m over here getting in God’s way, then there’s a problem. So I’m going to let Him speak to me, trust my team, and everybody on it has been doing a very good job.”

Lyles also praised his close-knit support system, highlighting coach Lance Brauman, his agent Mark Wetmore, his mother Janelle, and his brother as key pillars. 

He credited them with keeping him grounded and ensuring that setbacks are treated as stepping stones: “Nobody’s panicked. We’ve all assessed each race and said, ‘Let’s take this, let’s move on. Forget yesterday and move on to tomorrow.’”

Reflecting further on his mindset, Lyles emphasized the need for unwavering faith: not just in God, but also in one’s team and oneself. He admitted the journey is far from easy.

 “You’ve got to continuously go with that, even if you’re not seeing the benefits,” he explained. “Trust in it. Even on the hard days, the days that you lose, let it sit. Take the good, move on.”

He acknowledged that such words are easier said than lived, yet he remains convinced that perseverance and belief pay off in the decisive moments.

 “Some days are harder than others,” he admitted, “but at the end of the day, when you get to the last moment, that’s when you put it all together and know that it will happen when the time is right.”

Despite a lighter racing schedule this season, Lyles warned his rivals not to underestimate him. With typical bravado, he reminded the sprinting world that he thrives when the stakes are highest: 

“All I’m gonna say is—it’s gonna look real embarrassing if the guy who started his season the latest took all the gold. It’s gonna tell a lot.”