Sept 8 (Reuters) – American records, another world title and Olympic gold in Los Angeles are all on Noah Lyles’ radar after the sprinter shut down his 2026 season and began plotting what he believes could be the defining two years of his career.
Lyles, who was forced to end his season early due to injury days before the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships, said on Tuesday that performances this year had convinced him he was capable of running significantly faster than his world-leading 9.79 seconds in the 100 metres.
“I don’t like to put limits on myself,” Lyles told reporters on a video call ahead of this week’s Ultimate Championships in Budapest, an event he had a big role in designing.
“In my head, American records definitely come in, touching the stars, going after anything and everything.”
Tyson Gay set the national 100m record of 9.69 in 2009, while Lyles already owns the U.S. 200m record of 19.31 set in 2022.
He said he surprised himself by running two 9.7-second races at the U.S. championships despite feeling he had yet to put together a technically complete race.
“It’s proven to myself that I can run very fast, even though I’m not 100% perfect with my first 30 (metres),” he said.
The 29-year-old revealed that he and his team would hold planning sessions later this year to map out the next two seasons, describing 2027 as the foundation for his bid to retain his 100m Olympic gold on home soil in Los Angeles.
“2027 is the building block for 2028,” he said. “Let’s get that plan smoothed and polished so that when we go into 2028, we’re just following the blueprint because we know it’s going to work.”
To maximise his chances, Lyles said he intended to devote more attention to training and competition after a year that included numerous media and promotional commitments, plus a wedding to Jamaican sprinter Junelle Bromfield in April.
“I’m putting a lot more focus on more running and a lot less appearances,” he said. “I think we’ve proven this year that in the U.S. and even in the world, the world knows Noah Lyles.”
The eight-time world champion announced on Friday he was shelving his season, saying a minor strain suffered earlier in the season led to other physical issues that hampered his training.
Lyles had raised injury concerns at the U.S. championships in July when he pulled up during the men’s 200m final after winning the 100m title in 9.79, which matched his personal best.
He later described the issue as a cramp and had indicated he expected to compete in Budapest.
The withdrawal of one of the sport’s most recognisable stars is a blow to World Athletics’ new season-ending showcase that offers a record $10-million prize purse. The 29-year-old said he still planned to attend the event which runs Friday through Sunday.
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Toby Davis)
