Lyles 'redefining' Himself After Olympic 100m Gold

London Diamond League

Venue: London Stadium Date: Saturday, 19 July

Coverage: BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and nan BBC Sport website and app from 13:15-16:25 BST.

It is almost 12 months since Noah Lyles reached nan pinnacle of his athletics by winning Olympic 100m golden astatine Paris 2024.

It reinforced his position arsenic nan world's fastest man pursuing his aureate treble astatine nan World Championships a twelvemonth earlier, and arsenic 1 of athletics' biggest draws.

But, aft backing up his bold claims successful a twelvemonth erstwhile he besides starred successful nan sport's Netflix documentary 'Sprint', nan outspoken American admits he is yet to determine what type of himself will beryllium connected show astatine nan London Diamond League connected Saturday, and beyond.

"I don't know, I'm wondering that," Lyles, who turned 28 connected Friday, told BBC Sport.

"I had a really bully chance to not only conscionable beryllium pinch myself but besides deliberation up to nan future, and really I want to proceed presenting myself arsenic nan showman and truthful on.

"I deliberation [the crowd are] going to get possibly a mixed container correct now, arsenic I'm redefining really I want to beryllium seen complete nan adjacent fewer years."

On nan track, nan goals stay clear.

Three much world golden medals successful Tokyo successful September, connected nan way towards achieving 3 golds connected location ungraded astatine nan Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Over caller years Lyles has not been acrophobic to stock his expansive ambitions, stating that he could target Jamaican awesome Usain Bolt's long-standing world records, and teasing a bid for 4 Olympic golds successful Paris.

His hopes of achieving nan second were thwarted by a bout of Covid anterior to nan 200m last - but he had already secured his crowning moment, by just five-thousandths of a second, successful a singular 100m final.

"It's very surreal. There are immoderate days I aftermath up and I consciousness for illustration Noah, and location are different days wherever I'm for illustration 'I'm nan world's fastest man, I'm nan Olympic champion successful nan 100m – I did that!'," said Lyles.

"My fame has grown. Walking outside, I cognize I'm going to get recognised.

"I'm learning to beryllium comfortable pinch that, learning to adjust, knowing that group spot maine successful a different ray but being OK pinch that and pinch who I am."

Lyles has agelong shown consciousness of what is required beyond accelerated times to breakthrough into nan mainstream, and maintained liking successful nan sport's early direction.

His emotion of manner has translated to 'walk-ins' earlier competitions, while, pursuing a starring domiciled successful Netflix's 'Sprint', he has besides started his ain accumulation company.

However, he was a notable omission from Michael Johnson's inaugural Grand Slam Track convention this year, an innovative format that offered lucrative prize money but received disapproval for excluding section events.

"I deliberation we're successful a beautiful authorities for alteration and growth," Lyles said connected nan sport's standing.

"There are truthful galore awesome things that we person going for america and group are seeing it now.

"I do judge we're a small scattered successful which guidance that is, but I judge that, successful a fewer years, we tin travel together to an thought of nan correct direction."

Lyles, who suffered pinch terrible asthma arsenic a kid and has besides spoken openly astir his intelligence wellness struggles, describes becoming sick pinch Covid astatine Paris 2024 arsenic "one of nan top challenges I person ever had".

The 100m champion still managed to execute bronze successful nan 200m, earlier being escorted from nan way successful a wheelchair. It has near him pinch mixed memories of those Games.

Eager to adhd much titles to his collection, Lyles has endured a frustrating commencement to a play hindered by injury.

But he produced a connection triumph connected his return to action successful Monaco past week by beating Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo successful nan 200m.

A sell-out 60,000 crowd astatine London Stadium is simply a shape designed for Lyles to thrive upon arsenic he looks to stitchery momentum towards nan World Championships, pinch Tebogo and Britons Jeremiah Azu, Zharnel Hughes and Louie Hinchliffe among his rivals successful a stellar line-up.

"It's decidedly my benignant of place. I emotion a large crowd, particularly erstwhile they are engaged and they want to spot something. Being a showman, I want to springiness them a show," Lyles said.

"It's my first 100m title [of nan season] and I ever want to win. A accelerated clip ne'er hurts. I'd emotion to tally 9.8 seconds, but winning is nan astir important thing."

Allowing himself to see what he mightiness person achieved by nan extremity of nan adjacent Olympic cycle, while besides suggesting he is not going to alteration each that much, he added: "I'll either person taken complete nan way world aliases I will person 3 golden medals astatine nan Olympics. Either of those sound great."