Editor’s note: This feature is written by Deji Ogeyingbo, is about the relevance of Noah Lyles, and what makes him unique.
Outdoors in 2025, Noah Lyles has raced three times. Last spring, he ran a 400m in 45.47 PB. Then, on July 11, he ran 19.88 for 200m, and on July 19, Noah opened at the 100m in London, taking second to Oblique Seville. Deji Ogeyingbo wrote this piece just after the 200m victory by Noah, but it make sense after race three as well. Noah told the media that he will race the 200m, all rounds in Eugene for the US champs, where he has two byes, one in the 100 meters, and one in the 200 meters, as he won both in Budapest in 2023!
Monaco Reminds Us Why Noah Lyles Still Matters
By all accounts, Noah Lyles wasn’t supposed to win in Monaco. The Olympic Champion, Letsile Tebogo, younger and freshly sharpened by a world-leading 19.76 in Eugene less than a week earlier, looked more primed. Lyles, by comparison, hadn’t raced in nearly three months. That kind of layoff at the elite level tends to show. But then again, Lyles isn’t the kind of athlete who cares much for that sort of math.
Lyles lined up in Monaco knowing people were watching to see if he could still back up everything he says. He’s been accused of talking too much, of believing too hard in himself, of needing to tone it down. Track often celebrates humility to a fault, but Lyles has always chosen to speak loudly about greatness, about goals, about himself. Some people love that, others have long been waiting for him to slip.
He didn’t give them what they wanted.
Against a field that included Tebogo and rising talent Makanakaishe Charamba, Lyles delivered a 19.88 win into a headwind. Tebogo was second in 19.97, and Charamba was right on his heels. On paper, it wasn’t the kind of time that usually lights up headlines. But when adjusting for the wind, the numbers tell a sharper story: Lyles’ run was worth a 19.81 in neutral conditions. Tebogo’s time translates to 19.91. Small margins, sure. But enough to tilt the conversation back toward Lyles.
More than the time, it was the rhythm of the race that stood out. Tebogo never truly looked settled. He couldn’t find the right gear coming off the bend, and Lyles saw his chance. That’s when he does his best work. When doubt hovers in the air and the spotlight is leaning too hard in someone else’s direction, his mind is at its sharpest.
After the race, Lyles said he didn’t feel…
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