Olympic Champion Noah Lyles: Just Have Fun at Dakar 2026

Olympic sprint champion Noah Lyles knows exactly what to tell the next generation of athletes heading to Dakar 2026. After winning the 100m at the Rome Diamond League in June, the 28-year-old American star had one clear message for Youth Olympic Games competitors: "Go out there and have fun."

Lyles speaks from experience as one of the rare athletes who won gold at both the Youth Olympics and the full Olympic Games. His journey began at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games, where he captured his first international gold medal in the boys' 200m at just 17 years old.

"That was actually the first track meet that me and Junelle went to together," Lyles recalled, referring to his wife. The memory clearly still means something special to the now eight-time world champion.

Since that breakthrough moment in Nanjing, Lyles has collected three Olympic medals, including 100m gold at Paris 2024, plus ten World Athletics Championships medals. Yet the mention of the Youth Olympic Games still lights him up with genuine excitement.

His advice to young athletes couldn't be more straightforward or authentic. "You don't gotta be any different," he told Olympics.com in the mixed zone after his Rome victory. "Everybody just wants to see you compete. There's no pressure, have some fun."

The timing was perfect for Lyles to share this wisdom. He had just reclaimed the PURE Athletics Championship Belt from training partner Jordan Anthony, winning with a time of 9.88 seconds. Anthony had taken the belt from Lyles at the USA Track and Field Indoor Championships in March, creating a friendly rivalry that shows how even elite athletes keep competition enjoyable.

Why This Inspires

Lyles could have offered technical advice about training routines or competition strategies. Instead, he chose to remind young athletes of what matters most: the joy of competing. Coming from someone who has reached the absolute peak of his sport, that message carries real weight.

His words acknowledge something crucial for young athletes. The pressure to perform can steal the magic from competition, especially on an international stage. By emphasizing fun over results, Lyles gives these teenagers permission to be present in the moment rather than paralyzed by expectations.

The advice also reflects his own journey from that teenage sprinter in Nanjing to becoming one of track and field's biggest stars. The path to Olympic gold doesn't have to start with crushing pressure and serious faces.

Young athletes heading to Dakar now have permission from an Olympic champion to simply enjoy the ride.