Noah Lyles reveals his behind-the-scenes struggle to break Usain Bolt’s 200m world record

Noah Lyles has shared never-before-seen footage from his journey before attempting to break Usain Bolt’s 200m world record at the New York Grand Prix.

American sprint king Noah Lyles has shared never-before-seen footage from the night before his historic attempt to break Usain Bolt’s 200m world record at the New York Grand Prix.

In a new video titled The fastest man in the worldLyles talks about the immense pressure he felt leading up to the race, reflecting on his journey from the New York Grand Prix to his success at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 27-year-old sprinter, who won a gold medal in the 100m and a bronze medal in the 200m at the Paris Olympics, took his fans behind the scenes of the short film.

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Lyles spoke candidly about the challenges of balancing his mental and physical preparation, focusing on his goal of etching his name in history by breaking Bolt’s 200m world record.

“To be honest, I just hope it ends quickly, because the longer the flight, the more my legs are affected. So we always want fast flights. » Lyles mentioned in the video.

Lyles has made no secret of his desire to break Bolt’s long-standing records.

Despite clocking 19.77 seconds to win the New York Grand Prix, Lyles fell just short of his goal of breaking the world record of 19.19 set by the Jamaican legend.

Lyles, whose personal best stands at 19.31 seconds at the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, is undeterred.

“The world record falls tomorrow, all the signs are there, and the number, I keep telling myself ‘7:10 p.m.'”, Lyles said confidently the day before the New York race.

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The video revealed the raw intensity and hope Lyles carried as he visualized himself achieving what many thought impossible.

Although Lyles failed to break the world record that day, his determination did not waver.

He then cemented his place in sprint history later that summer at the Paris Olympics.

His most notable feat came in the 100m final, where he edged out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by just 0.005 seconds in a nail-biting photo finish to win the gold medal.

The victory was a monumental moment for Lyles, who became an Olympic 100m champion for the first time.

Despite his impressive Olympic success, Lyles’ thirst for greatness remains unsatisfied.

In an interview with I am an athletehe revealed his unwavering belief that one day he would break both of Bolt’s records in the 100m and 200m events.

“I dreamed that I was going to run the 9:41, and God blessed me with the power of prophecy, so I know it will come true. I’m sorry, all my dreams have come true.” Lyles shared.

“If God gave me, who am I to doubt?”

While Lyles is determined to make history, Bolt himself has offered both encouragement and a dose of reality.

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In the Netflix documentary SprintThe sprint icon recognized Lyles’ exceptional talent and mental strength, but also highlighted the challenges of achieving such a feat.

“Noah Lyles is a great athlete. He is full of energy, mentally he is very strong. He believes in himself, but if he breaks the world record, I won’t be happy. Records are made to be broken. I wish him all the best, but it’s not going to be easy“.