Noah Lyles Reveals Unexpected Connection Between Sprinting and Anime

Noah Lyles may be the world’s fastest man on the track, but off it he is proving that his imagination runs just as fast. 

The seven-time world champion and Olympic gold medalist has launched an exciting new venture that merges two of his greatest passions — anime and fashion.

The 28-year-old track star has teamed up with Crunchyroll and Adidas for an exclusive anime-inspired capsule collection, unveiled at New York City Comic Con on Thursday, Oct. 9. 

"It's everything that I probably could want," he said as quoted by PEOPLE.

PAY ATTENTION: Stay updated with the Latest Sports News in Kenya from Pulse Sport

The partnership is deeply personal for Lyles, who says the project allows him to express a side of himself that fans rarely see. 

"Usually track athletes don't really get merch of their own," he shares. 

"When I was a kid, I was like, 'Oh yeah, I'm going to actually make my own anime. I'm going to be a manga artist,' and all this other stuff. Things just turned out differently, but here, I'm still living out my dream."

Lyles describes the new Crunchyroll x Adidas line as a “high-velocity clothing collection that fuses speed, story and style.” Each piece is designed to capture the same energy that drives him on the track — a mix of power, motion, and artistry.

The project comes just weeks after his record-setting performance at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where he won his fourth consecutive gold medal in the men’s 200-meter event. 

The victory tied him with Usain Bolt as the only athlete to ever achieve that feat, solidifying Lyles’ legacy as one of the greatest sprinters of all time.

But even as his name echoes across stadiums around the world, his love for anime keeps him grounded — taking him back to simpler times and the childhood moments that sparked his creativity.

"I remember the day I went over to a sleepover with some of my best friends and we were starting to play Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi," he recalls. 

"They said, 'If you stay up a little later tonight, because we're going to stay up all night because it's a sleepover, we're going to watch the actual show on Toonami.' It gets to like 1:00 a.m. at night, and we're like, 'Gosh, we're so tired.' But then the show comes on. It's one of the first episodes of the Cell games, and we're like, 'This is amazing!' "

Over the years, Lyles’ passion for anime has become part of his public persona. Fans often celebrate his enthusiasm by gifting him anime-themed memorabilia after his races — a gesture that’s become both heartwarming and overwhelming.

"I had so many freaking figurines," he says with a laugh. 

"People were just gifting me Goku figurines and towels, blankets, pictures, a ton of stuff, and I was like, 'I don't have any more space, guys. Please stop sending me stuff.' I appreciate it, but it's too much."

Now, through his collaboration with Crunchyroll and Adidas, Lyles is giving fans something new — a chance to share in his love for anime while wearing a piece of his story.

The line represents not just his success on the track, but his creative spirit off it — a reminder that even world champions have dreams that start with imagination.