By Tendai Guvamombe
American sprinting sensation Noah Lyles has once again solidified his claim as one of the greatest athletes in the world, if not the very fastest.
His recent performance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo has provided compelling evidence, particularly with his dominant showing in the 200m event.Analytics reveal a clear picture of Lyles’s extraordinary prowess.
In Tokyo, he matched Usain Bolt’s record by winning his fourth consecutive 200m world title, a feat only achieved by two men in history.
His winning time of 19.52 seconds was a testament to his consistency and a reminder of his 19.31-second personal best, which ranks as the third-fastest 200m time in history.
While the 200m has been his signature event, Lyles has proven his versatility and speed in the 100m as well. His gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he edged out his rivals in a thrilling photo finish, cemented his status as the fastest man in the world.
This title, traditionally reserved for the 100m champion, adds a significant layer to the argument for Lyles as the overall fastest athlete.
His personal best in the 100m is 9.79 seconds, a time that puts him in an elite class of sprinters.Looking beyond individual events, Lyles’s role in the USA’s 4x100m relay team further demonstrates his speed and competitive spirit.
His ability to anchor the team to victory, as he did at the 2023 World Championships and more recently in Tokyo, is a key piece of the puzzle.
While athletes like Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo and Jamaica’s Oblique Seville are fierce competitors and have their own impressive accolades, the analytical combination of Lyles’s 100m and 200m titles, along with his unparalleled consistency in the 200m, makes a powerful case for him being the fastest athlete in the world today.
