American track and field athlete Noah Lyles, 27, is now known as “the fastest man in the world” after winning the Olympic gold medal in the closest 100-meter dash ever.
Lyles' gold medal is America’s first in the event in 20 years. The Olympic medalist and six-time world champion shared an inspiring message on social media after winning the gold medal in the 100 m, telling the world some of the personal obstacles he faced on the road to his awe-inspiring achievement. Lyles wrote:
“I have asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression. But I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. Why Not You!”
Not limited by his conditions
Health conditions like asthma and allergies, or learning disabilities like dyslexia, can lead a young person to feel that their potential is limited. Dealing with all of these at the same time is certainly a tough hand to be dealt, yet Lyles continued to set his sights on the highest possible achievements in his field.
Lyles’ openness about these conditions offers a positive and uplifting example that external factors don’t have to limit what a person can achieve.
After seeing him overcome all of these barriers to become “the world’s fastest man," hopefully his encouraging words can inspire the rest of us to dream big, even if it means facing down our own hardships.
The relentless effort Lyles dedicated to his sport paid off in his amazing performance on the international stage, showing what is possible when someone really puts in the effort to achieve big dreams.
Overcoming our obstacles
Whether we face a learning disability, a health condition, or simply a lack of faith in ourselves, Lyles’ words remind us of all that is possible. What we have does not have to determine what we can become.
While most of us won’t be competing for the Olympic gold, we are called to give our best effort to the work we care about.
When we feel tempted to quit or give a lackluster effort, hopefully Lyles’ words can give us that extra little boost we need to shoot for the moon. After all, “Why not you?”
Update: Thursday's 200-meter race
On Thursday Lyles also won a bronze medal in the 200m -- and it was revealed that the runner was suffering from Covid during that race.
Lyles had informed medical authorities and was permitted to compete per the current Paris Olympic rules. In a statement, Team USA said: “Our primary commitment is to ensure the safety of Team USA athletes while upholding their right to compete … After a thorough medical evaluation, Noah chose to compete tonight. We respect his decision and will continue to monitor his condition closely.”
We'll be praying for Noah Lyles' speedy recovering and a safe end to the Olympics this weekend.
