Noah Lyles compares his progress to Bolt’s and talks about anime-infused celebrations – OlympicTalk

A supremely assured Noah Lyles spoke Sunday on Soccer Night time in America about his place in monitor and subject’s post-Usain Bolt sprinting world.

“We discuss Usain Bolt,” Lyles mentioned. “I’m quicker than him when he was my age, so let’s see what occurs.”

Within the 100m, Bolt was quicker at this age, operating a 9.76 greater than three months earlier than his twenty second birthday after which a 9.72 a few weeks later. Lyles set his private better of 9.86 earlier this yr, two months earlier than his twenty second birthday.

However within the 200m, whereas Bolt’s 4 quickest instances are all forward of Lyles’ better of 19.50, the primary of these was sooner or later earlier than his twenty second birthday — the then-record 19.30 on the 2008 Olympics. The others have been later in his profession. Lyles ran a 19.50 a few weeks earlier than his twenty second birthday earlier this yr in Lausanne. Bolt’s solely different instances quicker than that got here later in his profession, so Lyles’ boast is right at that distance.

Lyles expects to have some crowd assist subsequent yr in Tokyo as a result of his colourful prerace and postrace antics draw from Japanese tradition.

“I’ve acquired lots of Japanese followers as a result of I’m a reasonably large anime fan, so I’m at all times exhibiting that on the monitor,” Lyles mentioned.

Whereas Lyles was tied for the quicker 100m time of the yr heading into the world championships, he centered on the 200m and didn’t try the double. He plans to go for each subsequent yr.

The dangerous information for Lyles in 2020: The Diamond League has reduce the 200 from its record of core sports activities, a call that shocked him.

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