Noah Lyles–I'm Him

Summary

Detailed Summary of "Noah Lyles–I'm Him" Episode on the Toure Show

Podcast Information:

• Title: Toure Show
• Host/Author: DCP Entertainment
• Episode: Noah Lyles–I'm Him
• Release Date: February 26, 2025
• Description: Touré interviews successful individuals to uncover the secrets behind their achievements and provide insights to help listeners on their own journeys.

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1. Introduction to the Episode

In this compelling episode of the Toure Show, host Touré sits down with Noah Lyles, widely recognized as the world's fastest man and an Olympic gold medalist in the 100 meters. This interview marks Noah's first podcast appearance since his remarkable performance at the Olympics, offering listeners an in-depth look into his experiences, challenges, and future aspirations.

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2. Olympic Experience Amidst COVID-19

Noah Lyles opens up about his tumultuous experience at the Olympics during the COVID-19 pandemic. Diagnosed with COVID-19 two days after the semifinals of the 200 meters, Noah discusses the strict protocols he had to navigate while preparing for and competing in the games.

Key Points:

• Diagnosis and Rules: Noah was diagnosed between the prelims and the second round of the 200 meters. Despite his positive test, he was permitted to compete as long as he did not have a fever, adhering to the Olympic regulations ([02:26]).

• Medication and Isolation: Upon diagnosis, Noah began taking Paxlovid immediately, which provided some relief but did not eliminate all symptoms. He remained isolated, even during warm-ups, limiting his interactions to only essential personnel ([02:26]).

Notable Quote:

"The rules say I gotta quarantine. Let's go. Quarantine. The US doctor said we can get you the medication." – Noah Lyles ([02:26])

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3. Collapse During the 100 Meters Final

A pivotal moment in Noah's Olympic journey was his collapse after the 100 meters final. This incident not only raised immediate health concerns but also left Noah grappling with his placement in the race amidst his COVID-19 symptoms.

Key Points:

• Race Outcome: Despite his best efforts, Noah secured the bronze medal, a result that was both surprising and humbling given his condition during the race ([13:09]).

• Physical Struggles: The loss of energy and isolation led to moments where Noah feared he might not complete the race, emphasizing the intense physical and mental demands athletes face ([02:27], [25:13]).

Notable Quote:

"I didn't know where I was. I didn't know if I won. I didn't know if I got third, if I got second." – Noah Lyles ([13:09])

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4. Overcoming Personal Struggles and Mental Health

Noah delves into his personal battles with mental health, highlighting the importance of therapy and mental preparation in his athletic performance. He underscores the necessity of addressing personal issues to maintain peak performance on the track.

Key Points:

• Therapy: Noah maintains regular sessions with both a personal therapist and a sports therapist, ensuring a holistic approach to his mental well-being ([36:04], [38:58]).

• Mental Preparation: Emphasizing visualization and mental resilience, Noah discusses techniques he employs to stay focused and motivated, even during challenging times ([37:05], [37:48]).

Notable Quote:

"Dealing with pressure comes with preparing. I think a lot of people get stuck on pressure because they feel like they're not prepared." – Noah Lyles ([37:05])

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5. Vision for the Future of Track and Field

Noah shares his ambitious vision to revolutionize track and field in the United States. He advocates for creating a professional league that operates independently of the Olympics, providing athletes with more control over their careers and narratives.

Key Points:

• Professional League: Noah envisions a system where athletes can compete outside the Olympic framework, allowing for greater financial stability and personal branding ([49:17]).

• Athlete Empowerment: By taking control of media presence, storytelling, and sponsorships, Noah aims to empower athletes to shape their own legacies without relying solely on Olympic success ([52:56]).

Notable Quote:

"I want an opportunity where we don't have to go. I want an opportunity where we have our own league, where we have our own athletes, say, where we're not getting fined for going out and celebrating and enjoying the crowd..." – Noah Lyles ([49:17])

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6. Personal Life and Upcoming Marriage

Shifting focus to his personal life, Noah discusses his upcoming marriage plans. He shares details about the venue, guest list, and the support he's receiving from sponsors and loved ones in organizing the event.

Key Points:

• Wedding Plans: Noah and his fiancée are planning a glass tent reception in Georgia, accommodating around 250 guests ([60:13]).

• Sponsorships: The couple has secured favors and support from various companies and individuals, easing the financial and logistical aspects of the wedding ([62:25]).

Notable Quote:

"We have hired a wedding planner. Me and my fiance, we've hired a wedding planner." – Noah Lyles ([61:08])

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7. Comparing American and Jamaican Track Systems

Noah offers a critical comparison between the American and Jamaican track and field systems. He acknowledges Jamaica's dominance in sprinting while emphasizing that the US still holds numerous world records and medals.

Key Points:

• Jamaican Excellence: Noah credits Jamaica's focused training and cultural emphasis on sprinting for their success ([58:02]).

• American Strengths: Despite perceptions, the US maintains a superior track record in various events, underscored by the influence of legends like Usain Bolt ([58:02]).

Notable Quote:

"We have more world records and gold medals than they do now. Bolt helped out a lot." – Noah Lyles ([58:02])

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8. Media Presence and Strategic Storytelling

Noah discusses his approach to media and storytelling, likening his strategy to that of Muhammad Ali. He emphasizes the importance of controlling his narrative to engage and inspire his audience effectively.

Key Points:

• Strategic Messaging: By crafting his own stories and maintaining a charismatic presence, Noah ensures his achievements and perspectives resonate with fans and the broader public ([15:15]).

• Handling Backlash: Noah addresses the criticism he faced when intertwining his athletic performance with political statements, reaffirming his commitment to using his platform for advocacy ([73:57]).

Notable Quote:

"I use them to create a story. 'Cause I feel that in my position, why let somebody tell your story when you can lead them to tell the story that you want to be told?" – Noah Lyles ([15:15])

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9. Personal Confidence and Educational Journey

Noah opens up about his struggles with traditional education systems, overcoming dyslexia and ADD. He highlights how stepping away from conventional schooling allowed him to discover and harness his true potential.

Key Points:

• Educational Challenges: Noah faced significant difficulties in traditional school settings, leading him to believe he was "not smart" until he found alternative learning methods ([67:05]).

• Self-Discovery: Through hands-on experiences and leveraging his strengths, Noah rebuilt his confidence and intellectual capabilities outside the classroom ([67:15]).

Notable Quote:

"Being outside of school and finally being able to use my gifts made school... I started realizing that I understand these concepts and I'm not stupid." – Noah Lyles ([67:05])

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10. Legacy and Social Responsibility

Noah reflects on the legacy of black excellence in track and field, drawing inspiration from historical figures like Tommie Smith and John Carlos. He expresses a sense of duty to continue using his platform to advocate for social justice and representation.

Key Points:

• Historical Influence: Noah reminisces about iconic moments in track history, such as the Black Power salute at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, and their impact on his perspective ([73:00]).

• Advocacy: Committed to speaking out on issues of racial injustice, Noah feels a responsibility to use his fame to support those who cannot voice their struggles themselves ([73:57]).

Notable Quote:

"It's my duty because God gave me the right or the ability to do what I do. And now it's my job to speak on those who cannot speak." – Noah Lyles ([73:57])

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11. Conclusion

Noah Lyles' appearance on the Toure Show provides a multifaceted view of an elite athlete navigating the complexities of fame, health challenges, and personal aspirations. His candid discussions offer valuable insights into the mental fortitude required to excel at the highest levels of sport and his unwavering commitment to reshaping the landscape of track and field in the United States.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• On Using Technology and AI:

  "I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra... so I can get in more squats anywhere I can." – Noah Lyles ([00:00])

• On Early Recognition of Speed:

  "Both my parents were track and field runners. So me and my siblings always knew that we were gonna be fast or had that fast gene." – Noah Lyles ([05:22])

• On Biomechanics and Weaknesses:

  "My weakest part is my ability to get up to top speed." – Noah Lyles ([08:23])

• On Mental Preparation:

  "I'm just going, going, going, going. And I might think go faster." – Noah Lyles ([10:40])

• On Visualization:

  "Visualizing is a huge part of my mental strengthening." – Noah Lyles ([37:48])

• On Personal Transformation:

  "Being comfortable with the uncomfortable is very difficult and very important." – Noah Lyles ([70:26])

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This comprehensive summary captures the essence of Noah Lyles' conversation on the Toure Show, highlighting his Olympic journey, personal challenges, and visionary ideas for the future of track and field. Through his detailed narratives and insightful quotes, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the man behind the medals and his broader impact on sports and society.

Transcript

[A]

I can say to my new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, hey, find a keto friendly restaurant nearby and text it to Beth and Steve. And it does without me lifting a finger so I can get in more squats anywhere I can. 1, 2, 3.

[B]

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[A]

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[A]

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[A]

Victoria Ray show okay though. Victoria Ray show okay though.

[B]

That might be the best question I've ever been asked.

[A]

You's a phenomenal person.

[B]

I mean, you legendary. I am a fan of you, my brother. We all remember you ran.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then you collapsed. And at that point people started going, does he have Covid?

[A]

No. I knew when I did the semifinals of the 200 meters, I was on the medication already for a day.

[B]

So you'd been diagnosed like before the semifinals?

[A]

Yes, I was diagnosed in between because they had a break in between the prelims, which is the first round and the second round. So in that day is when I learned I had Covid.

[B]

Did you think, should we not do it or like, we're gonna go ahead.

[A]

Anyway, it was whatever the rules said. So the ruling was, as long as you don't have a fever, you're still allowed to compete. And for a little bit, I was like, I could end it. I could stop here and, you know, everybody would be like, oh, no, it was great. He went down for the hundred. But I mean, the 200 is my baby and who knows if I'll make the next Olympic team. Tomorrow is not given. Like, I have a shot and if I'm not supposed to make it to the finals, I'll get kicked out in the semis.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So the rules say I gotta quarantine. Let's go. Quarantine. The US doctor said we can get you the medication. Paxlovid got me the medication and I started taking it instantly and, you know, it helps a little bit, but of course, it's not going to take away everything. So that was the idea. And then we. Even when I was at the track, I didn't work with anybody next to me. I was basically isolated. Isolated and even going through the rounds, it was like, man, I need that energy to return because I would constantly have spells where I would just lose all energy. And I was like, I'm praying that this doesn't happen during the actual race.

[B]

Noah Lyles is the fastest man in the world, the Olympic gold medalist in the 100 meters, and a big, brash, Muhammad Ali style braggart who's had the spotlight shining on him for a while. But you know what? How are you? This is his first podcast interview since the Olympics. And we go into everything.

[A]

Yeah, I picked it up in Paris when I was out for the Olympics.

[B]

Let's get into.

[A]

I gave myself one day to just.

[B]

The fastest man in the world. The legend.

[A]

Spend time with Noah Lyles.

[B]

But it seems like you like to shop. Just the yellow bag. The yellow Vuitton bag. And this is right like you. That's you.

[A]

Well, that's actually my metal carrying case.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So Pharrell gave it to me as a present, and, you know, I pulled it in high regard. And it. Everybody wants to see the metal. So wherever I'm going, somewhere that. Yeah. Mark, if you could. It should be in the smaller pouch.

[B]

I didn't know you had him.

[A]

Where is it? Here we go.

[B]

Jesus. Wow. Oh, it's nice and heavy.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[A]

It's a big boy.

[B]

Oh, wow. This beautiful insignia on the back. Can we get a close up of.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Look at that. How many golds?

[A]

Me? Yeah. In the Olympics, one. I have two bronzes, but for world championships, I have six. Wow. Wow.

[B]

That's amazing.

[A]

Mark, could you put that? Thank you.

[B]

When was the first time you were like, I'm faster than, like, everybody around here?

[A]

So when I was in elementary school, we would eat lunch and then afterwards we'd have recess, but we'd have to run a lap behind the track before we went out. And our teacher would hold me back and make everybody go first, and they'd get like this huge head start. And then she would let me go, and she said anybody that I beat had to do two laps.

[B]

And then you beat everybody.

[A]

They always had to do two laps.

[B]

But there must have been some time before that when she and you realized, like, oh, Noah's way faster.

[A]

I mean, both my parents were track and field runners. So me and my siblings always knew that we were gonna be fast or had that fast gene. And even when you're playing on the playground and you know you're playing tag and you realize you're not it for a very long time until you say, hey, tag me. I want to be it.

[B]

I want to be it, but I can catch up to you very quickly. Exactly how old were you when you could beat your dad?

[A]

That didn't happen for a while. I want to say about 13, 14 years old is when I realized it. And it wasn't so much that I got incredibly fast, it's just that he was getting older. So you gotta do a lot more to stay in shape. And, you know, he has a 9 to 5.

[B]

You know, my daughter is 15, she does the 100 and the 200. So I help her practice. She still cannot beat me. I'm very proud of that.

[A]

That's a good thing to be proud of, right?

[B]

I'm like any day now.

[A]

And that's pretty old, like for her to be 15 and still not beating you.

[B]

I mean, she's fast, she's good.

[A]

Should I ask her time?

[B]

I don't know off the top of my head. I could call after. But I'm just, you know, I'm just proud to still be keep up with her.

[A]

Because my dad, well, my brother called my dad a. Has been at age 14, and my dad took that very personally. Again, my dad, it was a professional runner. He was Big east champion. He's been to multiple NCAAs, so on and so forth. He's very accomplished for himself in track and field. So, yeah, that was a gut shot.

[B]

I mean, if I looked at certain athletes, you know, if I looked at LeBron and I'm like, why are you better than everyone? Cause I am bigger and faster than everybody. Or, you know, look at you, you're. What are you doing better than everybody else.

[A]

I'd say that I've been gifted with genetics. But even when I say that, that just gets you to the starting line, right? That just gets you to professional. After that, it's your job to figure out, okay, how am I going to take and cultivate this talent that I have and bring it further. So I have a very good coach. Me and my coach, Lance Bramah, have been together since 2016 all the way to now. We, you know, we listen to each other, we learn. We both are constantly looking for the next goal. I'm also very, I learned my sport very well. You know, I'm very adapt to figuring out what's the newest technology? What's the newest thought and processing for running technique? You know, where do I find that extra inch? Where do I find that weakness in myself that needs to be brought up? Because I can work on my strengths all day. It's easy to work on your strengths, but it's hard to work on your weaknesses. So if I can make my weakness your strength. My strength.

[B]

What is your weakness? Do you have a weakness?

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

What is your weakest part?

[A]

My weakest part is my ability to get up to top speed.

[B]

Mm. See, right. I was just watching. You just won the 60 meters in Boston.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And after 10 steps, you were behind several people, and then you just blew past everybody after that, Right. You won by 1 10th, right, in the 60.

[A]

That's a lot. But you're right.

[B]

Why are you. I'm like, why is he behind? You're behind, like, four people.

[A]

Yeah, right.

[B]

And I'm sure at that point and.

[A]

At the Olympics, I was dead last, right?

[B]

And I'm sure at that point, they know, oh, well, we can't beat him from here. But why are you not further earlier?

[A]

Everybody has a gift. You know, some athletes, they're very good at getting up to their top speed, but their top speed might not be that high, right? So at that point, it's like, okay, they might have to just hold it for the whole time, but that's very hard. My weakness is getting up to my top speed. And, you know, that's the thing that I've had to work on for years and things that I've learned along the way. Okay. I have flat feet that don't engage as well as other people might do it naturally. So I have to work on it every day to make sure that my feet are prepared. When I say run, it runs. Okay, well, maybe I'm not in the right angle, so I focus on working on the right angles. Okay.

[B]

I'm not your ankle angle.

[A]

My ankle's for my whole body. To be honest. I'd have to put up a whole video and break down the whole thing. But.

[B]

But the relationship where your head is to where your hips are, your head.

[A]

Your shoulders, your arms. Swing my knees. I touch down on the ground. Do I have a straight leg or a bent leg? Because that's energy absorption.

[B]

Which do you want?

[A]

You want a straight leg, because then it's like a pogo stick. If you bouncing on a pogo stick, it's like a spring, and it goes up and down, and that's just pure energy. If there's a bend in that pogo, where's that energy gonna go? You don't know. You're gonna be thrown any which way. And that's why you always wanna make sure that you have a straight leg. Cause when you hit touchdown, you just bounce right off of it, huh? Oh, yeah, there's a lot. Biomechanics.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If you want to be good at track, I advise you learn some form of biomechanics.

[B]

Okay. Got to go into some of the science of it. I mean, of course you do. What do you think about during the race?

[A]

A lot of things. When I have a not big race, when I have a huge race, I don't think about much of anything. Everything's been taken care of. Like the Olympics. All I can remember is probably the last 20 meters. I remember the gun went off and I just started running. Because if I'm thinking about something, there's something wrong. Because I'm taking energy away from the activity that I'm doing in the present.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

So I'm just going, going, going, going. And I might think go faster. Like at one point somebody was getting a little too far ahead of me and I said, now, like I have to move now. If I don't move now, then I'm gonna be out of this race completely.

[B]

Where. Where were you when you said now?

[A]

It was about the 30, 25 to 30 meter mark.

[B]

You said now?

[A]

Yeah. Like, yeah. And my body did what I told it to do. It started giving more intensity. So now I'm in probably the last 20 meters and I'm like, I don't know where I am. I'm in the front of the pack, but I don't know where in the front of the package. And we're getting to the last 10 and I'm like, I don't think I'm in the lead still. And then we're in the last five.

[B]

Can you see him?

[A]

It's too far over.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

It's too like the distance.

[B]

You could see the next lane, but not beyond that.

[A]

I could see even probably two lanes, but he's three to four lanes.

[B]

Not sure.

[A]

All my. The biggest hitters, Fred and Kishane, are three to four lanes over. So I can't see that far. And I'm not going to turn my head because that's wasting energy.

[B]

Yeah, I can't do that.

[A]

So here I am in this predicament and I said I'm just gonna have to lean. And leaning is so controversial, in my opinion. I was watching data recently and the data showed If I didn't lean, I would have ran a lot faster in that 100 meters.

[B]

Because you lose the balance, right?

[A]

You just lose energy. Because you're now preparing your body to slow down. Cause you have to throw your leg out in front of you so you don't fall. You have to prepare your arm swing so that it's like thrusting you forward. But it's only thing it's doing is thrusting your chest forward. If I would have just ran through the line with the same momentum that I had, or even faster momentum, I would have ran faster. And while they leaned, I would have been speeding up.

[B]

But the call was, you lost. So at home we were like, oh, shit. Cause you told us this is what I got, right?

[A]

Yeah. I gave all I had.

[B]

Oh, shit. Like, what happened?

[A]

Yeah, it's funny.

[B]

So what was that moment for you?

[A]

I didn't know where I was. I didn't know if I won. I didn't know if I got third, if I got second. Like, I didn't know what happened. And I remember going up to Keyshane and I was like, I think you got that one big dog. Like, I just didn't know you did. And in my head, I'm like, dang, I'm gonna have to really swell my pride. I'm like, they're gonna have a field day with me in the media. And then my name comes up and I'm just like, oh, before your name.

[B]

Came up, it took a while.

[A]

It did feel like. Yeah.

[B]

And it felt like you gave him props. But then when it took so long, you kind of changed. Like, maybe this is gonna. Right. Did you start to change your mind? Maybe.

[A]

It's not that I was changing my mind. I was like, dang, this is a lot. Whatever they're deciding is a lot closer than I thought what had happened.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I was like, I wonder if this is like close between Fred and Kishane. Cause they didn't throw any replays.

[B]

Right.

[A]

So we didn't get to see what they were measuring.

[B]

Right.

[A]

We were just like, what's going to pop up? You know? And finally it just pops up my name. Just like magic first, because you were.

[B]

You said you were afraid that you might have to eat your words.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, that's what media was basically going to have a field day.

[B]

That's what you're thinking about?

[A]

That's that. Yeah.

[B]

What the media is going to say.

[A]

I mean, in a joking way. I mean, like you, I built up a story.

[B]

You've done so much. I would be Thinking about my coach, my training, my mom, my dad, like, all the people, all the hours that I put in to try to win this thing. And you're like, I told y'all I was gonna win, and now they're gonna be like, you did it.

[A]

That's because, like, everybody knows that I give my 120%. I give everything I have. There's no point where I'm not gonna give everything. So I'm not really worried about my coach thinking that I didn't give enough or that I didn't try hard enough, or the same with my mom or even myself. I know I'm always going to give everything I have, you know, from the day that I start the season or even two seasons ago. So the only thing to think about was kind of in that moment, ah, man. Ah. I'm going to have to deal with the media now. Well, you win some, you lose some.

[B]

Media spends a lot of time saying, athletes made this decision or that decision because they didn't want to hear us go, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, stop giving yourself so much importance. These people are not thinking about. You're like, actually, we might be.

[A]

Well, the reason I think about them is I use them to create a story. Cause I feel that in my position, why let somebody tell your story when you can lead them to tell the story that you want to be told?

[B]

So you understand the marketing of it, all, right?

[A]

I like to think so.

[B]

The Muhammad Ali of it. All, right?

[A]

Definitely the Muhammad Ali.

[B]

Right. Well, I'm gonna say something. And now y'all are watching me because I guaranteed victory, and now the lights are bright, right? Like, that whole thing like that. I mean, that's what it's about.

[A]

Yeah. It's creating the story. It's creating the excitement. I mean, if I'm just a mute guy who runs fast, it's not the same. It's not the same. And then you see the guy dancing next to me, like, oh, he's doing something different.

[B]

Right? Well, I mean, you nailed that, right? I mean, like, a lot of people knew who you were for the running, but when you said, you know, world champion of what? Then, like, everybody was like, who's this guy?

[A]

That was. I don't know why that blew. Well, I kind of. Do you know why that blew up? I had said that for years. That was not the first time I ever said that.

[B]

Really?

[A]

No. I'd said that many times in many different interviews.

[B]

Blow up that time.

[A]

It blew up that time because I had everyone's attention. I was the world's fastest man at the time.

[B]

Right.

[A]

That's why it was important.

[B]

Did you say it different? Cause you put a little. You had a little stink on world champion of what?

[A]

I had a little stank on it. But it was because of the situation that we were in. Like, the question that was posed was, how does it feel going back to the US Being a world champion? To be honest, nothing changes. That's the sucky part that the US.

[B]

Doesn'T really care about.

[A]

The US doesn't really care the way.

[B]

The rest of the world does.

[A]

Exactly. Or the way that Europe does. And it sucks because I know that America has an amazing marketing system. If we could tap into that, it would be amazing. And the reference was that the NBA, and to be honest, almost every American made sport, taps into this idea that everything we do is the greatest. And no matter if you are competing on the world stage, it makes you believe that you're competing on the world stage and it's done so well. And like, you guys, we could do this, but you have actual athletes who are competing on the world stage constantly throughout the whole year. Why not do it then? And then you have to do less work of saying, do you think your.

[B]

Message was received the way you meant it?

[A]

No, not at all. But it got the conversation started.

[B]

It got the conversation around. Noah Lyles is big ego, marketing, all the things, right? I mean, like, it got the conversation.

[A]

It got a lot. It got a lot of different conversations. Because outside of the U.S. is nothing but support. Inside the U.S. i mean, it's died down now, but at the time, it was like, this guy doesn't even know what he's talking about.

[B]

It was mostly NBA players chirping back.

[A]

And it was American NBA players. Yeah, I have a decent relationship with a few European players or people who was actually on the Evan Fournier. We have the same massage therapist, so we've actually known each other for a little bit. And he was just laughing because he's like, yeah, when I play in the NBA, these guys, they think it's the world championship. It's like, guys, we're playing in NBA.

[B]

Was there one NBA player or a football player who responded that you were like, oh, damn.

[A]

No. I think the funniest thing that I got from it is when Drake had something to say. I'm like, I don't remember.

[B]

What did Drake say?

[A]

Drake, what are you doing here?

[B]

Right. You didn't even go to this school. Yeah.

[A]

It was literally like, what? What are you doing in this conversation. This is not for you. That was the funniest thing for me.

[B]

What did he say, though?

[A]

Gosh. He said something like, like somebody needs to get this guy. Or like, this man's crazy. You don't know what he's talking about. It's something like that. But it was just so funny. To me, it's like, okay, this really kind of transcended sports for a little bit.

[B]

It did.

[A]

I was very shocked of how far it went.

[B]

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[B]

So, okay, you told a story about the 100. Tell us the story of what happened with the 200 which started days earlier, right?

[A]

No, it was the very next day.

[B]

Wait, you. You. Oh, you didn't know you had Covid until the next day?

[A]

I didn't know I had Covid to two days later. So I had the first round of the 200 on Monday. I raced the 100 final on Sunday.

[B]

Right.

[A]

I didn't learn that. I tested positive until Tuesday.

[B]

Okay, so you. I want to. I want you to tell us the story. But we all remember you ran.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then you collapsed. And at that point people started going, does he have Covid? Which is the thing that everybody would immediately. Anybody coughs, do you have Covid?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But you, at that moment, you didn't.

[A]

Know when I collapsed? No, I knew. No, I knew days before.

[B]

Two days. What you said two days later.

[A]

So two days later, after the 100 meter final.

[B]

Got you, got you, got you, got you.

[A]

So when I did the semifinals of the 200 meters, I was on the medication already for a day.

[B]

So you'd been diagnosed like before the semifinals? Yes.

[A]

I was diagnosed in between because they had a break in between the prelims, which is the first round and the second round. So in that day is when I learned I had Covid. And I woke up in the middle of the night.

[B]

You know who you got it from?

[A]

I have no idea.

[B]

I mean, not that you're gonna out them on this show, but, like, I'm sure your life at that moment. You're at the Olympics, right? It's very narrow. Like, the number of who can speak to you is very small.

[A]

No, it's actually not small at all.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Because I'm in the village.

[B]

Oh, so you're interacting with hundreds of people.

[A]

But the crazier part is how much I wasn't interacting with people. I was constantly trying to put myself in situations where I wasn't around people because Sprint had just come out, and I was basically the hottest thing walking around. Everybody wanted to talk to me. I couldn't take two feet without somebody stopping me, trying to take a picture or. You know, when I was moving around, crowds were forming, and I was like, I just need to get to lunch so I can get to practice right after so I can get ready for this Olympics.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And it became very stressful. And so, you know, I basically was hiding throughout the whole Olympics. So it was a huge shock when I figured out that I had Covid. I'm like, how the heck did this even happen?

[B]

Right?

[A]

Like, I was probably the most quarantined guy there.

[B]

So. Right. You're the most quarantined guy for other reasons, but, like, shit happens.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Did you think, should we not do it? Or, like, we're gonna go ahead anyway?

[A]

It was whatever the rules said. So the ruling was, as long as you don't have a fever, you're still allowed to compete. And for a little bit, I was like, I mean, I could end it. I could stop here, and, you know, everybody would be like, oh, Noah was great. He went down for the 100. But, I mean, the 200 is my baby, and who knows if I'll make the next Olympic team? Tomorrow is not given. Yeah, like, I have a shot, and if I'm not supposed to make it to the finals, I'll get kicked out in the semis.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So the rules say I got a quarantine. Let's go. Quarantine. The US Doctor said we can get you the medication packs a little bit. Got me the medication, and I started taking it instantly. And, you know, it helps a little bit. But, of course, it's not going to take away everything now. And it also ends up shortening, you know, how long you have it, which is, you know, we were hoping to try and beat it before we got to the finals. Unfortunately that didn't happen. But yeah, so that was the idea. And then we. Even when I was at the track, I didn't work with anybody next to me. I was isolated. Even at the warm up tracks, you know, everybody had a mask on. There was only one physio that could work with me and she had to wear a mask and gloves and all this other stuff. So you know, I was basically isolated. Isolated, yeah. And even going through the rounds, you know, it was like, man, like I need that energy to return because I would constantly have spells where I would just lose all energy. And I was like, I praying that this doesn't happen during the actual race.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So it was pretty stressful.

[B]

You're feeling your energy just SAP out of nowhere.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Does the isolation affect you?

[A]

Not as much because I was looking for it at the event. Cause there was so much going on and so much stimulation. But definitely the symptoms were soup.

[B]

On the, on the day of the final, did you or at the moment of the final, did you feel the energy you wanted to feel or not? 100%.

[A]

I had to fake it to make it.

[B]

You weren't really there?

[A]

No. Everybody talks about, oh, you came out and you were jumping and da da da da. Like yeah, I had to. If I didn't do that, if I didn't start from a high place, I'm gonna start from a low pace and get lower. I have to at least fake it to make it, get my body to somewhat believe that it is okay no matter what the belief is. And it's just tricking my body into believing that everything is good, everything is fine. Just go about business as normal. You know what? Even better go about business is great. And that's what I went out and did.

[B]

It's interesting that, I mean of course you like, you really talk about the mind controlling the body. And for so many of us, we take the message from the body and the mind is the slave of the body. And you're like, tell the body we are going to race now. I know you feel like shit, but we're doing this now.

[A]

Yeah, that's exactly how it is. And that's his. I mean even yesterday I was practicing. I'm sorry, I'm going on a little bit of a tangent here, but I noticed one of our athletes had an injury and he Was a really bad injury. So now his mind says, we don't want to get injured again. So we're gonna, like, we're gonna hold tight. We're not gonna let you, like, your body ramp up to what it believes it can do. Now. He's fully healthy now, but he's still traumatized. His body's still traumatized from that. And it's so crazy to think, but to be able to get himself out of that mentally, he's gonna basically have to say, I'm going to almost, like, break my bone to break this habit.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Like, imagine telling yourself, I'm gonna break this bone now. And you break your own bone. Like, you can't even pinch yourself hard enough to make it bleed without yourself being like, hey, brain, stop that. And now you gotta tell yourself to get out of this habit of, okay, if I get hurt, I get hurt. Like, that's so hard to do.

[B]

So wait, so finish the story. So you get. You third, right? You were third.

[A]

I get third? Yeah. I get the bronze.

[B]

Which. Was that a surprise to you, given the way your body felt?

[A]

To be honest, it was a surprise because I was scared I was gonna pass out at any moment on the, like, during the race again, like, my energy would just zap at random parts throughout the day. So I was praying that it wasn't gonna do that. Now I went out there pushing those aside and saying, if it happens, it happens. But anything I run is a miracle. And I didn't know where I was. I didn't know what was going to happen. I was just. And to be honest, I actually can't even remember that race. I try to go back constantly and think, what was I thinking during this time of the race? I remember the gun went off, and then I crossed the line, and I went up to, let's see, leave. Hugged him, congratulated him. And then all of a sudden, my energy zapped and I was gone.

[B]

You didn't even have time to think about, like, oh, I lost my big race. There's no energy.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And you remember falling.

[A]

I remember being on the ground, and I remember being on there for a long time, and I remember looking dead at the medical staff's face and, like, beckoning to them, and they just stared at me.

[B]

Why?

[A]

How could the world. How could the world's fastest man be on the ground? There can't possibly be something wrong with him. Yeah, I'm down there for. I don't know how, but for a while, and then I see, like, the US Doctor come out and he's like yelling at them like he needs help, like you need to go help him, yada yada. And finally somebody comes and helps me up. And actually, no, they didn't come help me up. I had to get myself up. And then they finally come to me and give me the wheelchair and they wheelchair me out. And I'll never forget that because I'm struggling to breathe and my pulse is really high and I'm dizzy. And as I'm being wheelchaired back, somebody from the U.S. olympic or not the U.S. the Olympic Committee, comes and says, we're giving you a fine for disturbing the peace. When you came out and celebrated, when they announced your name, what? I was like, yeah, I'm done with this.

[B]

What? Wait, from the usoc?

[A]

No, not the usoc.

[B]

Or from the Paris Olympics?

[A]

From the ioc International Olympics.

[B]

You do that like every race?

[A]

I do it every race. And the crowd loves it.

[B]

Why are they in your face about that?

[A]

Do you really want me to answer that question?

[B]

I mean, of course.

[A]

Let's just say the IOC is there for the IOC to make money. Athletes are.

[B]

But you're a major reason why that Olympic Games was successful. You're one of the stars of the Games.

[A]

It's not how they see it. And the way they see it is there'll always be another. And whoever they crown, they believe that's who the people will cheer for.

[B]

I mean, so you.

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

It's not totally wrong. I mean, if you go to the next Olympics, we'll cheer for you because we still know you. But we may also cheer for Keisha from Denver, cuz she's fast as a bullet, Right?

[A]

Well, what if we change that?

[B]

To what?

[A]

What if the Olympics was just the stepping stone to something greater?

[B]

Like what?

[A]

Like, let's say somebody got synonymous with the name World's Fastest man. And you didn't have to go to the Olympics to gain that title. And all of a sudden, for the last four years, somebody else has the title of World's fastest man. And then the LA Olympics come up and as soon as they crown their 100 meter champion, the first thing people say is, well, he's not as fast as the last champion, because that's who we know to be the world's fastest man. And then that person has to race them outside of the Olympics to prove.

[B]

That they're a structure. More like boxing. It could be like boxing where he's the world's fastest man. You want that title, you gotta go find Noah, wherever it may be.

[A]

Exactly. And race Him.

[B]

That's the world you want.

[A]

Just saying that's a world dictated more by an athlete.

[B]

Are you trying to create that or that's just.

[A]

I don't know.

[B]

You should.

[A]

I mean, I just think it's a great idea.

[B]

So a world where there's what, like a Netflix live event where Noah is gonna race X person who said he can beat Noah or whatever, whoever wants the title and maybe sha'carri will race against somebody also, that sort of thing.

[A]

Well, sha'carri's not the world's fastest woman. Julian Alfred is. So now we have World Championship winner Sha'Carri and Julie Alfred, the Olympic champion. Those two need a race. Who's the real world's fastest woman?

[B]

I would love to see it. One thing I love about your game, the mental preparation is clear. You think you are the. You thought you were the fastest man in the world before you were. Yeah, right. And the confidence is clear. Talk about some of the mental preparation that you do to get yourself to that state of I am the fucking man, right? You right. You're like, I am?

[A]

Yeah. You gotta, you gotta first believe it yourself. I mean, we were talking earlier about how crazy you have to think of yourself in a certain light and people will just look at you and be like, I don't even know why you'd say that. So if I'm saying I'm the world's fastest man, imagine if I said that when I was a high schooler, which I did, people are just gonna look at me like, who the heck is this high schooler? Like, why is he, why is he talking like that? Unbeknownst to them that in the future I had become the world's fastest man. You know, that takes a crazy amount of not only confidence but the ability to say, no matter if it happens, I'm going to go after it. And I think that's where a lot of people get stuck at. They don't want to say their dreams because too many people will try to shoot it down. So what if they shoot it down? During President's day savings at the Home Depot get up to 35% off select appliances plus save up to an extra $450 on select appliances like whirlpool Shop, the side by side fingerprint resistant stainless steel refrigerator with an indoor can caddy or the fingerprint resistant stainless steel top control dishwasher with three 5 inch shelves. Make the most of President's day savings and our lowest prices guaranteed at the Home Depot. How doers get more done, see homedepot.com pricemash for details. See Store Online for details. Minimum purchase required. Your data is like gold to hackers. They're selling your passwords, bank details and private messages. McAfee helps stop them. Secure VPN keeps your online activity private. AI powered tech scam detector spots phishing attempts instantly. And with award winning antivirus, you get.

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[B]

You go on the track and work out the physical parts of it, but I imagine you're not really spending too much time on the mental game. When you're doing your track work, are you at home journaling or meditating? Or like how or are you doing it at the track also?

[A]

It's all together. Okay, so let's say I'm going through a day of practice. Let's say a rough day is happening. I go out there and coach tells me that he wants me to run this pace and I'm trying as hard as I can and I just can't do it. At the end of the day I'm going to say, okay, this practice did not go well, but this is one bad practice in a sea of great practices that I've had. My body could just be tired. And then if I need to get out of my own head, I'm going to go and call my sports therapist. I'm going to say, hey, this is what happened in practice today. And she's probably going to tell me, well, that's one bad practice. You're allowed to have bad practices. You're allowed to be tired. You're allowed to go out there and have a normal.

[B]

Who's Your therapist?

[A]

Diana McNabb.

[B]

How often do you talk to her?

[A]

Probably about once a week.

[B]

And you have an hour long session with her once a week?

[A]

Not always. I'd say throughout training seasons, which is blocks of periods where we're not racing but we're just training. They could be anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, maybe an hour sometimes just to give her a bigger picture update. But some of those conversations are about specific days and sometimes they're about a bigger picture moment. If I tell her I want to run fast, really fast at the US Championships, we're going to go and we're going to say, what is it going to look like? How far out are you going to plan for this? What track meets are we going to use to build up for this, what practices do you need to see ramped up and times you need to hear him practice to say, okay, I'm ready for this moment? How are you going to make sure that yourself is ready for that moment? When are you going to see your chiropractor, that he can be on the same interval as you, so when the day comes, he's gonna see you the day before or the day of. You know, that type of thing.

[B]

Dealing with pressure.

[A]

Dealing with pressure comes with preparing. I think that a lot of people get stuck on pressure because they feel like they're not prepared when you get on the line and you have to think, I have to do this, I have to do this, I have to do this.

[B]

That's not good. Then you're tight.

[A]

You're psych yourself out.

[B]

Yeah, you're tight.

[A]

Why do you have to do this? It's. You get to do this. You're blessed to do this. This is an amazing moment that you get to be a part of. And if you've done everything right before you got there, it's going to happen. So it's no longer I have to do this. It's. I'm going to do it because I've already done it a ton of times. A thousand times in my head, A thousand times in practice, a thousand times. Visualizing.

[B]

So you visualize also?

[A]

Oh, I definitely visualize. Visualizing is a huge part of my mental strengthening.

[B]

Sitting and closing your eyes and trying to see the race with as much detail as possible.

[A]

Yeah, the whole day.

[B]

The whole day.

[A]

The whole day.

[B]

Why would you visualize the rest of the day?

[A]

Because there is a huge time where I'm not competing. That's a lot of time for an athlete to have a panic attack or an anxiety attack. But if you're planning out your whole day, you're giving yourself a detailed list of what you're gonna do leading up to that moment. Your body doesn't have time to think. Cause it's just gonna think, okay, what's next on the to do list?

[B]

But you're visualizing to control your emotional response throughout the day so you can be emotionally maximized when it's go time.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

Interesting. When you talk to your therapist, are you just talking about sports or is it holistic? Is it. Would we also talk about if there was a relationship issue or a inner child issue or whatever?

[A]

I have two therapists for that. I have a personal therapist and I have a sports therapist. Now they know each other and they do communicate so that the Whole picture is in effect. And there are times when I have to say hey to my sports therapist. Hey, I just had a bad day outside the sports world and it's kind of getting to me. Or, you know, I had this project and it just fell through and I'm really bummed about it. I actually had a call like that recently when I was telling her I went to a track meet, and the track meet went great. But the way I perceived what I wanted to happen, it just didn't get me there. And everything I built up for it, I didn't enjoy as much as I thought I would. And now we're not talking about so much track. Like, yes, it happened on the track, but this is how I personally feel in my day to day life. And I can't let it bleed over. So I need to fix this here, and I might need to fix it in my personal life, too.

[B]

Interesting moment. After the Australian Open, Madison Keys won. First time she won a Grand Slam. And she talked about therapy as a critical driver toward her winning. And not sports therapy, just a regular therapist who, like, help her get her life in order. And she was like. She was like, we don't talk about sports. And that is critical to me, being the best athlete I can be. Do you see that happening for you also?

[A]

Oh, it definitely transfers over 100%. There are some things that I can see in some athletes, and this is because I know them personally, that transfers from their personal to their sport. And sometimes they'll be like, oh, if I could just fix this one thing in my sport. And I'm like, unfortunately, you're not gonna be able to fix it here. You have to go fix it out in your regular life.

[B]

Mm. Some athletes, yeah, they. There's some trauma that they're working out in the sport, and that is part of why they're such a furious or driven athlete. Because they're right. And if we fix the problem, they might not be the same guy anymore.

[A]

Yeah, I do agree with that. You're talking about your why, your reason why. I feel it's very important to figure that out. But it's also okay to change your reason why.

[B]

Sure.

[A]

And that's where people get. I think that's where some people get stuck at. If they found their reason why and they're like, oh, my reason why isn't working anymore. They're just going to be like, well, let's just go back to the way we were doing it. Well, it's time to evolve. It's time to change. It's time to move forward, find a new reason why.

[B]

So what's your why?

[A]

You know, over the years, it's definitely changed. I feel like right now it's in a different. It's changing into something else. When I first joined the sport, it was to prove that I was the fastest. When I was in my 2021-2023 era, it was to prove that I was the fastest in the 100 and the 200. Then I knew that once I was planning on winning both 100 and 200 at the Olympics, once I won, I was going to have to change my. Why? Because I'm no longer playing on the trajectory of I am proving to be the fastest. I've already accomplished that. So let me figure out what it's going to be before I get there, because I don't want to be caught in that dead zone of me having to find it and me falling into the slump of not knowing why I'm here and changing the sport. Is that next why? You know, crossing over, finding new ways to introduce track and field to the American market. Like, I. I truly want to see track and field find that connection with the American audience. I believe it's there. I mean, everybody does track and field in the U.S. yeah.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

It's just, how do we market it? So it makes a connection.

[B]

I did. I did cross country running in high school. I was a tennis player, so I had the cardio. So in ninth grade, I was able to be on varsity cross country, and I enjoyed it immensely. I was smaller than everybody. And you get out in the woods and the other boys are, like, elbowing you, like, on purpose to try to not. And there's no adults or officials out in the woods when you're running, so it's an amazing sport. Wait, you said you wanted to prove that you were the fastest. That was your initial. Why? What was the point of that? Why?

[A]

Cause I still knew I wanted to transcend the sport. And I can't transcend the sport if I'm not the fastest or if I'm not winning.

[B]

So when you're in Florida, you're like, I want the world to know I'm the fastest person.

[A]

When I'm living in Florida.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's a little bit different when I'm doing things associated to my sport. Yes.

[B]

Oh, I meant in your life, when you got to, like, you know, I'm a teenager and I can, like, see. I mean, that's when you really started to, like, be winning and be in it. And you're like, Like, I could think. Like, I want to be the best writer. Cause I want everyone to see how smart I am. So if you want to be the fastest. Because you want everyone to.

[A]

No, I wanted to be the fastest because I knew that I had. I wanted to transcend the sport. I can't do that if I'm not winning or if people don't perceive me to be the fastest. Just like when I said world champion of what that day. People listened. But when I said it before that, nobody listened. What was the difference? The difference was they perceived me as at the top.

[B]

They hear you more. They hear you more. They hear. Now you will listen to me when I speak because I'm the number one guy.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Okay. Okay. That's deep. Are you gonna do the next Olympics?

[A]

We'll see.

[B]

Is it a maybe or you.

[A]

I would like to be in a position where I get to make that choice. Right now, I don't get that choice.

[B]

Because the USOC chooses that.

[A]

It's a lot deeper than that. I have to go because that's what our sport is built off of. So anybody who sponsors us is going off of the idea that you're gonna go to the Olympics. And the Olympics crowns fastest man, fastest woman. If I don't go, I'm definitely losing my contract. I'm losing my way of life. I won't be able to pay my bills or, you know, go on throughout regular life. The same. It'll be a lot more challenging because unfortunately, we're an amateur sport, not a professional sport. So if I can change the way that is and we can become professional before we get to la, then that means that I've done my goal. I've transcended the sport enough to be able. That we can make a living. And everybody can make the choice if they want to go. Tennis players get to decide if they want to go to the Olympics. NBA players get to decide if they want to go to the Olympics.

[B]

Yeah, you is. I'm sorry. Amateurism is forced on you. As opposed to, you know, LeBron can go to the Olympics.

[A]

LeBron can go to the Olympics.

[B]

Right. In the past, you couldn't. Right. It was all college guys. You still have to be an amateur.

[A]

We are amateur.

[B]

Don't you go to Europe and get paid?

[A]

We get paid, but we're contractors.

[B]

As opposed to there being like a league.

[A]

I mean, there's a Diamond League, but anybody can participate. You can participate.

[B]

I could not.

[A]

No, you say that, but if you know the right person.

[B]

I'm fast, and I would still be last. And I'll accept that.

[A]

I'll put it to you like this. What was the Asian Games? I believe it was either this year or last year. In the Asian Games, one of the presidents for a country decided to put his daughter in that had never run a day of track in her life. Yeah, she skipped across that line. Why in the world was she allowed to do that? Because we are amateur. And anybody, if you know the right person can get you on that track.

[B]

But you want your professional opportunities to not be tied to the Olympics.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

You want a bigger realm of opportunities. Right. Like you're saying all my professional stuff is tied to me going to the next Olympics.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

And if you said you're not going, then that would change your professional life.

[A]

It would change all those deals or all these opportunities, these doors opening, they disappear.

[B]

So does that mean you are currently stuck, that you have to go to the next Olympics?

[A]

We're all stuck. All of us track athletes are stuck. We all have to go to the next Olympics. There's no other opportunity. We could go to the next World Championships, but nobody, really. Nobody watches that nearly as much.

[B]

Right.

[A]

If you don't go to the Olympics, you don't medal. Who are you? And even further than that, if you don't win, who are you?

[B]

Right. And you want a different world than that.

[A]

I want an opportunity where we don't have to go. I want an opportunity where we have our own league, where we have our own athletes, say, where we're not getting fined for going out and celebrating and enjoying the crowd, where we have deals coming left and right, where we're incorporating fashion and we're incorporating music and culture into our sport just as much as any other sport in the US Gets to.

[B]

I don't even understand how you are. Don't you have. Don't you have a clothing contract like Adidas?

[A]

I'm contracted by Adidas.

[B]

So doesn't that make you a professional? You're not a professional within track except in Europe.

[A]

Not even that. They have. They're the contractors, too.

[B]

The amateurism that you have is confusing to me.

[A]

Okay, let's put you like this. I could go to a Diamond League and that's considered professional, but so could you. If you get. Okay, so could a high schooler.

[B]

Any individual could go.

[A]

Any individual can go. What's stopping. Can you go to the NBA if I start playing basketball today? And I just said, yeah, I'm going to go out for the NBA and just walk onto a team. I can't walk onto A team.

[B]

Because a team must accept you and give you a contract.

[A]

There is a line, there is a divide, there is a. You need these things to be professional.

[B]

But whether or not you go to the Diamond League doesn't have any impact on if you're professionally.

[A]

We have college kids. No.

[B]

Right. Because the NCAA used to used it before NAL. Right. If you took $100 from being in your sport, then you were no longer eligible.

[A]

That is correct. When you are trying to make a name for yourself, when you're trying to make a living for yourself, you gotta do one thing. In track and field. You need to win. Win and get medals. And you can either do that at World Championships, but the place that you're always gonna make sure that you're set is the Olympics, which only comes every four years.

[B]

But you need another.

[A]

We need State with stability. We need our constant. Like, truthfully, athletes can't really survive by going to just one or two track meets a year.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

They have to go.

[B]

Are you in a better position to help change that world than anybody else?

[A]

I mean, I'm trying, but I'm still stuck and bound to the same things that they are now. Am I less bound? Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But I'm trying.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It's also hard by yourself.

[B]

Yeah. Geez. Wow. Trying to create a revolution. Do you know what you would want to do next?

[A]

I have a lot of ideas of what I want to do next.

[B]

Like ten years from now.

[A]

I have a lot of ideas.

[B]

What's the biggest idea?

[A]

I think the biggest idea is owning the rights to yourself. I mean, we go and we go on these track meets and we perform on tv. Who's getting the money from that? Not us. Who's getting the right to the pictures that are being sold? Not us. Who's getting the money from the uniforms? Not us. We show up, we run. Some of us get appearance fees, most of us don't. Some of us get paid $10,000 to win. That's not going to cover your flight to go to where you're going.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Like, and then taxes and all that. It's not us. We gotta take control somehow. So what we take control by. We control the media, we get to control what's seen, we get to control the storylines, we get to control the track meets. And the position that we're in right now is not like that. But in a league run by athletes, or at least started by athletes, could definitely be a first step.

[B]

I want to say you need a television contract and you're there, but. And I Wonder if you couldn't come up with a structure for Netflix. They're in the live sports business.

[A]

They are.

[B]

That's like, you know, me and X, Y and Z athletes are going to be racing against. I mean, racing is inherently exciting to.

[A]

It is. And the storylines are even better.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I agree.

[B]

And like, head to head matchups, this one versus that one.

[A]

And why. Why do you need eight people? I mean, one v one works very well.

[B]

For example, you and Tyreek Hill.

[A]

Me and Tyreek Hill.

[B]

Is that gonna happen?

[A]

It's a lot closer than you might think.

[B]

Really?

[A]

It's a lot closer than you might think.

[B]

Does he have a chance?

[A]

No.

[B]

Really? He's fast. I know you've watched him. He's very fast.

[A]

Yeah, he is.

[B]

You're like, it's a whole different thing.

[A]

It is definitely a whole different thing.

[B]

Do you look at his mechanics and you're like, that's cute.

[A]

I not even gonna look at his mechanics. First I'm gonna look at his top end speed, then I'll look at his mechanics.

[B]

Is his top end speed in your realm?

[A]

I don't. I mean, no.

[B]

I mean, we're just talking numbers.

[A]

I mean, my top end speed, technically, scientifically, is in the top three fastest people ever to live.

[B]

Who are the other two?

[A]

Usain and maybe like Tyson Gay. I might be too.

[B]

That's crazy.

[A]

It's hard to get numbers on some people. That's the hard part. But from the data that I have collected and found through other biomechanists, I haven't seen many people who has reached my top end speed. How fast I get to that, that's.

[B]

That's the other conversation. And what is your top speed?

[A]

So the way we measure it in track and field is meters per second. So Usain Bolt was moving at about 12.4 to 12.5, and I'm about a 12.2 to 12.3 now for miles per hour. That's the difference between 28, 29 miles per hour and 26, 27 miles per hour.

[B]

You're going like 26 miles an hour when you're at.

[A]

Well, technically I'm going 27. We did figure it out.

[B]

27. 27 miles an hour. That's very fast.

[A]

Yeah. I'd get a ticket in a school zone.

[B]

Tyreek's speed is not close to yours.

[A]

But a lot of people can't conceptualize that. What do you mean? I mean, you just said he's very fast, but how fast is very fast if you've never seen it in person?

[B]

If he's never seen you and your.

[A]

Speed in person, Any of us haven't seen it in person. So we gotta race. Somebody gotta show. The world needs to see it. The US Needs to see it. Everybody. And all these athletes that he's challenged before, they don't want to do it because what is beneath them. But if nobody knows how fast you are, do you think you could do his sport? Ooh, that one. I don't know. I don't like contact.

[B]

You're a big dude, though.

[A]

I've grown into a bigger guy. No. 6'four five'ten me and Tyreek are the same five'ten yeah.

[B]

You seem bigger than that.

[A]

Yeah, I get. I run tall. It happens when you run with good mechanics.

[B]

I mean, there used to be a thing where if somebody was super fast, the Olympics or whatever, the NFL would give them a shot. And if they were inclined, they would end up being a wide receiver or something. And a couple of them kind of worked out a little bit, you know? But you're like, I don't want nobody hitting me.

[A]

Yeah. This is just not the sport for me. Yeah. All the contact. And to be honest, also the mindset. And to be honest, all the hitting, like, goodness gracious. The brain trauma.

[B]

No, for sure.

[A]

And whatnot.

[B]

For sure.

[A]

I'm not personally trying to get in that. You know, kudos to anybody who. That is your sport. Cause it's very entertaining.

[B]

It's very hard.

[A]

It's very hard, too. Yeah. And it's entertaining. But of course, it's not for me.

[B]

But that's a joke to you. Tyreek Hill is a joke.

[A]

Oh, he's trying to come home.

[B]

He's a trapper.

[A]

If I went over there and tried to do what he did, he would laugh at me.

[B]

Right.

[A]

And I'd laugh at myself.

[B]

Right.

[A]

It's the same thing. If you try to come over to me, our side.

[B]

See, this is part of America's problem that to America, track seems too simple. Right. And you get that sense of like, well, anybody could do that. They're just running straight down. Like, whoever's fastest is fastest.

[A]

Or you just put your feet down faster.

[B]

You know what I mean?

[A]

You just try harder. How many times has trying harder in a cross country event helped you?

[B]

No, you gotta be loose, relaxed. Right. Don't try harder. Try less hard.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

Why is it, you know. Because I've been watching track and field for a long time. America's, what, 335 million people? How come we keep losing a little ass? Jamaica. Jamaica's History. Men and women over the last. Not just Bolt. Over the last what, 30 years. Are they not better than us?

[A]

No, we're still better than them.

[B]

You think we're better than them?

[A]

We have more world records and gold medals than they do now. Bolt helped out a lot.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Hang on, let me get that fact straight. Mark, would you agree with that one? That we still in the league? Yeah.

[B]

And Shelly and Frazier made a huge difference.

[A]

Oh, yeah. Jamaica was in their bag from 08 even. Only really catering off now because Shelly Ann is coming off and Elaine is in a weird predicament. But yeah, I mean, you know, they're having a great time, but you're looking at the lens like this when the picture is this big. I mean, the Olympics has been going on for a little bit over 100 years now. A lot of those medals come from the US for sure.

[B]

For sure. I think a lot about the 100 and 200 year stuff. Of course, Jamaicans do so well. Right. The longer, that's not their bag. But the shorter things.

[A]

Yeah. So let's think of it like this. What's our national sport? Football. I mean, or basketball. Either one.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Everybody grows up and what do they think I want to be? A football player or a basketball player. So guess what? They cater to playing those sports in school outside, anytime they can. And guess what? They all just start watching it and they start learning it. Even if you don't play it, you know it, it's like the back of your hand. That's how track and field is in Jamaica.

[B]

No, I understand. That is. That is their number one sport. And all their best athletes go into that.

[A]

Exactly.

[B]

We have like five or six sports that Americans will slot into before. But as we said, every American tries track and field as a little kid. Right. Like every school puts us on the track and run around and see how you do. Right. Like everybody tastes it.

[A]

Yeah. What was the question? I'm trying to figure out where you're going.

[B]

No, you're funny. Sometimes I don't ask questions. Just make a statement and see what people say. You're getting married soon.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

When are you getting married?

[A]

It's gonna be next year. We're flirting with the date of April 4th.

[B]

Oh, my God. You're like 16 months away. Because you said 2026.

[A]

Yeah. 2026. Yeah. When you put it, like when you.

[B]

Have a long engagement.

[A]

I don't find that being that long. A year goes by so fast. And track.

[B]

I know. And track. I had a long engagement. For whatever reason. Something like that and it gave the moms and the aunties so much time to think and suggest. And you should invite this one. You should do this. You should serve this. And it was like, Jesus. You know what I mean? You gave him, like, long brainstorming time.

[A]

No, I haven't had that issue yet. I can see. See where that can give them an opportunity to think and change.

[B]

You should do this. You should do this.

[A]

Yeah. I have hired a wedding planner. Me and my fiance, we've hired a wedding planner.

[B]

Where's it gonna be?

[A]

It's most likely gonna be in Georgia.

[B]

Okay. In Atlanta.

[A]

No, it's gonna be Tyler Perry. North. North of Georgia.

[B]

You should go to Tyler Perry's. I'm joking.

[A]

No, it's this glass tent wedding venue.

[B]

Beautiful.

[A]

I said that. I told her that I wanted to have the reception in a glass tent. I love the sun. And I'm like, yeah. Every time I imagine it.

[B]

A big glass tent.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Wait, how many guests?

[A]

Probably gonna be around 250, because that's how much it can hold.

[B]

How much does a glass tent run you?

[A]

They're saying that. So the venue is gonna be about. About 40 to 50. But on top of that, you have to reserve the houses, the lodging houses that they have there. That runs you an extra 30, so it ends up being around 60 to 70.

[B]

Shit, you gonna come out like, 200 for this wedding?

[A]

Well, the good thing is I've been very blessed and fortunate to have a lot of people give favors.

[B]

That's beautiful. So people or companies?

[A]

Companies and people.

[B]

Do you want to name some of the sponsors who have helped you with your wedding?

[A]

Not at this moment, because they haven't all been solidified. Like, right now. Janelle is getting her dress fitted and this.

[B]

Wait, is Pharrell gonna do your suit?

[A]

I wish.

[B]

You have a nice baton? No.

[A]

So I actually have a conversation with a company tomorrow that my stylist organized for us to have a talk with. I haven't met the company in person, so it's going to be our first time meeting, but they definitely have talked about, you know, having. Doing a big favor, you know? And again, that's even a blessing there, you know?

[B]

Wait, you have a ring? You got. You got yourself an engagement ring?

[A]

I was on TikTok one day, and, you know, this couple, they got engaged in the. The wife was like, yeah, I'm gonna get my husband an engagement ring because he's off the market. And I'm like, I like that. I am off the market. I belong to somebody.

[B]

So you got that for you or she got that for you?

[A]

I got that for me.

[B]

That's cute, though. That's what's up. Who do you listen to? What music you listen to?

[A]

I listen to a lot of Kanye.

[B]

You love Kanye?

[A]

I love Kanye. I love Travis Scott, but those are, like, the main ones. Eventually I'll get into, you know, like, Lana Maseco, Kendrick J. Cole. I'll start listening to. I remember when I started listening to SZA back in, like, 2015.

[B]

You like future?

[A]

Future's good for what he. I consider ish. I consider future a SoundCloud rapper. I love him for what he is. When he tries to go outside of that, that's where I'm like, okay, yeah, yeah.

[B]

You like Drake?

[A]

Drake is good as well. I'm not saying that because he dissed me, but, you know, he's good. He doesn't try to stay in one box. He tries to do many things. He can write.

[B]

You like Gambino?

[A]

Gambino? I do like Giant List Gambino.

[B]

And you like Wheezy?

[A]

No. Well, you like Lil Wayne. I do like Lil Wayne. But is he at, like, the top. Top of my list? So who's your favorite rapper? It's Kanye.

[B]

Still.

[A]

It's Kanye.

[B]

It's so hard to deal with. So are you, like, you're.

[A]

Are you my favorite rapper?

[B]

Are you, like, a Kanye fan? To where you be fighting? Like, he didn't mean that. Not calling him anti Semitic? No, no, Maga. Kanye didn't make you go, like, what the fuck is going on?

[A]

No, it definitely made me say, what the fuck is going on? I don't support him in his lifestyle that he's chosen for himself. As of now, what I'm saying is that the music that he made when he was a lot younger and, you know, of course, the. The graduation and below, even, you know, going into 808s and heartbreak and, I mean, Yeezus was really. When I was like, like, ooh, okay, there's something going on here.

[B]

You jumped off the train at Yeezus.

[A]

I knew something was wrong.

[B]

But you like my beautiful, dark Twizzard fantasy, and you like 808s.

[A]

His first album. Still my favorite, really? College Dropout.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I feel I connected with it a lot because at that time, I was turning professional. I was the first high school to turn professional in sprints for the US And I was going into uncharted territory. I am not a fan of school. I love to learn, but I'm not a fan of school at all. I Have dyslexia and add, and I'm just constantly being told the direction that I have to go in. And when I heard this album, I listened to a guy who's like, yo, this is college dropout. This is me fighting an uphill battle to get to an achievement that I know I can get to, no matter who believes that I can get there. And I was like, yeah, I resonate with that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And every time I listen to it, that's still the feeling that I get.

[B]

Yeah. No, that makes a lot of sense. And you're saying the traditional American way of sit in this chair for 50 minutes and I will tell you, think this, do this.

[A]

Remember this, right?

[B]

Memorize this. Like, that for you is like, this is not the way that I learn.

[A]

It's not at all. It's not even close. I'm very interactive. And for the longest time, I thought I was stupid. Like, just plain out, like, I am just not smart.

[B]

If you can't learn in the traditional American way, you may think that you're stupid until you understand. No, I just received the information in a different way.

[A]

Exactly. And that's what I eventually found out. Being outside of school and finally being able to use my gifts made school.

[B]

Made you feel dumb.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And when you left school, then you got more confidence in your intellectual.

[A]

I got more confidence within myself, which gave me the ability to want to go out and learn the things that I enjoyed. And in that process, it stumbled back into things that you might learn in school. And I started realizing that I understand these concepts and I'm not stupid or as dumb as I felt when I was back in school. And I'm like, okay, I, you know, I'm smart, man. You know, I now realize that, let me keep going, Let me keep learning, Let me keep exploring, you know, just in my own fashion, in my own way.

[B]

Is this. Was this happening in college that you're.

[A]

Like, I didn't go to college.

[B]

Okay. In high school. Oh, you said. You said you turned pro as a teenager.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So in high school, you were like, this is not working. What is the way of learning that that connects for you?

[A]

Interaction, hands on in the moment, being thrown into the fire because I'm now in a situation where I have to figure it out and I'm going to use every resource possible. When I was in school, it's like, this is how you solve this problem. Well, why is that the way? There can't be another way. Or why do we have to spend so little time on this concept? Like, this. It's almost like if you're in a literature class and you're reading your favorite book and there's a part that just talks so much about humanizing a character, and you really want to dig deep into this, but the point of the class only talks about it for one class. You're like, I could talk about this. I can make a paper out of this. I can make a thesis out of this. And when you're in high school or when you're in elementary or middle, you only have a small window of time to actually work on this. And if you don't keep up, you're kicked out, or you're left behind, or you're considered unintelligent.

[B]

It's amazing that school robbed you of self confidence and you had to go find it elsewhere and bring it back.

[A]

Yeah, it was. Yeah. Those are those some rough days. Truly, I'm not a fan of those days. I think I was actually scared to grow up, too, because I thought that if this is what the rest of life is like, then I don't know, it's going to be a fight every day for the rest of my life to enjoy whatever is out there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I think that was the scariest part.

[B]

And now you feel like I'm very.

[A]

Confident into whatever chapter that I walk into now. I feel that God is always going to bring me the right path to walk down. I just, of course, need to listen for it and go down his path and not mine. But at the same time, be okay with knowing that it's going to be all right no matter which way unfolds. Being comfortable with the uncomfortable.

[B]

Being comfortable with the uncomfortable is very difficult and very important. Ben, you were saying? If I don't go back to the Olympics, then my next Olympic, my life will be changed. So are you comfortable with that? Cause you seem to talk about, I gotta change this world. You know what I mean? But then you're like, but you have this big fork in the road in front of you for your life. Are you comfortable with that? Or you're like, sounds like you're like, I'm not comfortable with that.

[A]

No, I wouldn't say I'm comfortable. There's, of course, the way that I want to do it, and then there's the way that it will happen. I don't know right now which way it'll go. And I think that's the scariest part. And that's when my humanity kicks in of being worried and being uncomfortable. I think always being aware and having therapy Talking to God. Talking to my wife or fiance for now. Soon to be wife.

[B]

Soon. In a year and a half.

[A]

Yeah. But those are what makes me think about the big pictures. And sometimes it's hard for me to get into a place of. It's not all about the way that I want it to be done. Sometimes you just have to let it happen.

[B]

Last thing. My dad was so into track and field, and he ran a lot. I think he was very successful at a high school level. But we would talk about track and field as another example of black excellence and black superiority. Look how they're. You know, we are crushing in these events. And the men and women would come out. They look beautiful and dignified and powerful, and they go out and destroy everybody and, like, look how great we are. And so it is very much tied with what it means to be black. And I always talk to people who come on the show about what being black means to them and how it comes into the thing that they do. And, you know, if you're the heavyweight title holder, there's been a long line of amazing black men and women who were the fastest person in the world in everybody's mind before you. So just talk about what it means to be black. And occupying this mythical crown that has been a black American thing for a long time.

[A]

I remember the day I met Tommie Smith.

[B]

Mm. Mexico Olympics. The Black power salutes.

[A]

Yes. We were at the US Track and Field award ceremony, and I was getting the athlete of the Year award. And they were honoring that whole team for what happened. And a lot of great people showed up, of course. Oh, gosh.

[B]

I'm drawing up John Carlos.

[A]

John Carlos was there, and I've known John Carlos for quite a while.

[B]

Was on the podium with him.

[A]

And I'm talking to him, and, you know, they're just naming off all these achievements that everything happened. I mean, the. At that Olympics, the way that high jump is now jumped the Fosbury flop that happened there. Like, it's like, oh, my gosh, all these amazing things happened at this Olympics, 1968.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And the thing that people remember the.

[B]

Most is Tommy Smith and John Carlos.

[A]

Throwing up the fist and making a protest because of what was going on back home. And, you know, I remember I was like, dang. I, you know, feel honored that they would do that for us. And, you know, hopefully I don't have to do that myself. And yet, two years later, I found myself in the exact same position in 2020. And in 2021, we were going through the Black Lives matter movement. And Covid was shutting things down left and right, but yet here we are, still fighting for the same things, just human rights. And I'm like, oh, my gosh. No matter how big I get, no matter if I even go to the Olympics and become the world's fastest man, I could get pulled over at any time, and that could be my last. And that was so scary for me to even think about, but it was even scarier for somebody to think about who probably isn't the world's fastest man. And I'm like, there gotta be something I could do. And I remember texting Tommy after I decided that I was gonna also adorn a black glove and, you know, throw up my fist after, before every race and wear black socks in every race. And he basically thanked me. And I was like, I don't know why you're thanking me. If you didn't do what you did back then, I wouldn't have even had the idea nor probably the heart or bravery to try and copy what you did. Because I'm not going to say that I lived up to it, but that constantly weighs on me because I remember I was going through media training for the Olympics, or not media. We have a meeting a day. It was for the last one. Paris. And I did an interview with the Today show, and they said, you know, what is it like representing usa? I said, it's very hard. It's very controversial. You're an amazing athlete. You're seen as the greatest, and you win your gold medal, and you did it for Team usa, and you feel so proud. You know, at the end of the day, you're still so proud to be an American, but yet you still have to think about when you go home, will the next time I be pulled over be my last? And I remember getting so much backlash from that, because how dare I turn this thing of sport and entertainment into a political thing? But it was already political. It's just we didn't want to talk about it. And I feel that it's my duty because God gave me the right or the ability to do what I do. And now it's my job to speak on those who cannot speak, or at least to the best of my ability.

[B]

Thanks so much to Noah Lyles for a great interview, and thanks to you for listening. Torre's show gives you fuel to power your dreams, because you can use your dreams like a rocket ship to blast you into another life. You can make your dreams a reality, and maybe this show can help. You can find me on TikTok orayshow and on Instagram Orayshow. Torre show is written by me Torre and produced by Ashley Hobbs. Our editor is Ryan Woodhull. Our booker is Ray Holiday. We're distributed by DCP Entertainment and we will be back next Wednesday with more amazing guests because the man can't shut us down.