Noah Lyles beats dyslexia, ADHD, depression and then equals Usain Bolt's world record to leave eyes wide open
Noah Lyles battled multiple health issues to match Usain Bolt's record with his fourth straight 200m world title.
On a balmy September night in Tokyo, Noah Lyles stood tall, arms raised, flapping his four fingers across his face, having just secured his fourth straight world title in the 200 meters — a feat that places him in the rarest of company alongside Usain Bolt.
But while the numbers now read like something out of sprinting folklore — four world golds, one Olympic 100m title, countless podiums — the path Lyles took to get here is one most athletes would have surrendered long before they reached the starting blocks.
Because for Noah Lyles, the battle was never just against time. His real race was against asthma, dyslexia, ADHD, and depression.
Long before Lyles broke records, he was just a young boy in Virginia struggling to breathe.
Diagnosed with severe asthma at the age of three, he spent countless nights in hospitals. Even everyday activities were a challenge.
“He couldn’t eat without coughing. He couldn’t play,” his mother, Keisha Caine Bishop, told ESPN. “His quality of life went down.”
To make matters more difficult, Lyles also lived with dyslexia and ADHD, making school life an exhausting mental exercise. Reading, focusing, and following traditional classroom rhythms felt like another track he couldn’t quite run on.
But deep inside the boy who seemed to be constantly running uphill, there was something else: an unshakeable drive.
A Stage of His Own
Ironically, one of Lyles' first breakthroughs didn’t come on a track, but in a high school theatre.
At Alexandria City High School, a drama teacher named Leslie A. Jones invited him to take a public speaking class. It was here that Lyles found a different kind of stage — and a different kind of voice.
In a class project, he brought his starting blocks onto the stage and taught his classmates how sprinters explode off the line. It was a moment of clarity: he might not fit in the traditional mold, but he had something valuable to share.
That confidence started to grow, and with it, a vision of what he could become.
Facing the Darkness
Despite his rise on the track, Lyles couldn’t outrun the emotional toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. Isolated, restricted, and cut off from crowds and competition, he spiralled into depression during the lead-up to the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
The Games, held without spectators, left him feeling flat. The self-proclaimed “showman” of track and field needed energy from the crowd. Without it, he finished with a bronze in the 200 meters — a solid result, but one that felt hollow.
Afterward, Lyles broke down in front of reporters.
“I want people to know that it’s OK to not feel OK,” he said. “You can go talk to someone, get on medication. You don’t want to wake up one day and just think, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore.’”
It was a rare moment of vulnerability in elite sport, and it struck a chord far beyond athletics.
Rebuilding and Rising
Rather than hide, Lyles took control of his recovery. He leaned into therapy, embraced support, and rediscovered joy in the things he loved — music, Legos, video games, time with friends.
He also got back to the basics of why he ran.
When competition resumed, he returned not only faster, but mentally freer.
In Paris 2024, Lyles delivered a stunning performance in the Olympic 100 meters, winning gold in one of the closest finals in history. It was a defining moment, a personal victory over every label, diagnosis, and doubt.
The Fourth Crown
And then came September 19.
Lyles surged to his fourth straight 200m world title, matching Bolt’s legendary record. It wasn’t just a race. It was an arrival — not only into the record books, but into a legacy defined by more than speed.
He later shared a message on social media, aimed at others fighting their own battles:
“What you have does not define what you can become.”
A Champion of More Than Just Medals
Lyles’ journey has now captured the attention of audiences far beyond track fans. From his own docuseries, "Untitled: The Noah Lyles Project", to his role in Netflix’s "Sprint", and even an appearance on The Tonight Show, he has become a symbol of resilience and authenticity.
He’s still open about the fact that he struggles with anxiety. When it hits, he sometimes disappears from the spotlight for a few days. But rather than hide it, he talks about it — and in doing so, he gives others permission to do the same.
Because for Noah Lyles, greatness isn’t just about medals.
It’s about showing the world that broken pieces can still build something beautiful.
