Can Noah Lyles break Usain Bolt's world records?

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt is regarded as the greatest sprinter of all time. An eleven-time world champion in the 100, 200, and 4 x 100-meter relay, he holds world records in the disciplines. Bolt, an eight-time gold medalist in the Olympics, is the only sprinter to win the 100 meter and 200 meter Olympic titles at three consecutive Games in the years 2008, 2012, and 2016.  He claimed consecutive gold medals in the 100 meter, 200 meter, and 4 X 100 meter relay in the World Championships from 2009 to 2015, except for a false start in 2011 in the 100 meter. Additionally, he is the most accomplished male athlete in the history of the World Championships.

The Jamaican athlete has retired now and will continue to remain the greatest sprinter for a good amount of time. Nevertheless, there is this question that always pops up in the minds of every athletics fan – “Will the records of Usain Bolt ever be broken?” Well, records are meant to be broken. So, if not now, somebody will definitely break Bolt’s record in the near future. To date, many have challenged the 100 m, 200 m, and 4 X 100 m records of Usain Bolt, but none have been able to etch their names in history.

However, one of the leading sprinters at present who is coming for Lightning Bolt’s record is none other than Noah Lyles. Lyles is a two-time world champion in the men’s 200 meters, having won the title in Doha in 2019 and Oregon in 2022. Noah had intended to break Usain Bolt’s world record by running the 200-meter final in 19.10 seconds at the World Championships 2022.  Nonetheless, he won his second global title in the 200 m and shattered Michael Johnson’s long-standing national record of 19.32 seconds, moving him to third on the world all-time list. In 2022, Lyles went unbeaten in his specialty event, i.e., 200m. He broke the 20 seconds mark in all 12 of his races, including both heats and finals.

In an interview post his national record run in the 200m, he mentioned that he was targeting Usain Bolt’s record. “I was planning to run 19.10,” Lyles said of a time that is nine hundredths faster than Bolt’s world record from the 2009 World Championships. “That’s what me and my therapist had in our hearts,” he told NBCSports. However, after defeating compatriot Trayvon Bromell in the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix by margins, he mentioned his targets yet again. “This is the moment I’ve been working for, like, seven years. We’re not just coming for the 200m world record. We’re coming for all the world records,” he said. He further added, “Personally, I know it’s crazy to say, but I don’t think it will be that hard.

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A comparison between Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles Records in different sprint and relay events

Noah Lyles in Season 2023

Lyles has only taken part in indoor events in 2023. The following table indicates his performance at the indoor (60 m) events. Lyles started his 2023 campaign with the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix, one of the World Athletics Indoor Gold tours, which took place on February 4. He got the better of compatriot Trayvon Bromell, the 2016 World Indoor champion. However, he would have been a bit disappointed after being disqualified in the Millrose Games 2023’s finals. He also stormed into the finals of the USA Track & Field (USATF) Indoor Championships 2022, due to a hip flexor strain. We will now take a look at his 2023 season so far.

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Noah Lyles’s Major Competitors

However, on his quest for the world record, he will face a stiff challenge from his opponents. It is interesting to note that the majority of his competitors are his own countrymen. The 2019 world champion Christian Coleman, Trayvon Bromell, the Tokyo Olympics silver medalist in 100 m Fred Kerley, the World Champion in 400 m Michael Norman, and Marvin Bracy are to name a few. However, the reigning Olympic champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs and Ferdinand Omanyala, the Commonwealth Games 2022 gold medalist are also not far behind. We will take a look at the records of the fastest sprinters in the world at present.

Will Noah break Bolt’s record?

Considering the fact that Lyles’ rivals are equally strong, he would face a stiff challenge on his quest for the world records. However, the way Lyles has improved over the years is simply remarkable and he will continue to shine. At present, he definitely stands a great chance to break Usain Bolt’s 200-meter record. No other athletes are anywhere near to Noah in this discipline. His personal best in 200m is 19.31s against Bolt’s 19.19s. Keeping in mind how he has been getting better in 60m and 100m, implies that he is already giving his best. If he keeps on moving forward, he will surely be unstoppable in a matter of time.