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Can Noah Lyles Finally Catch Usain Bolt in Atlanta?
Noah Lyles has never been shy about his ambitions. From Olympic medals to world records, the 26-year-old American sprinter has made one thing clear—he’s chasing legacy. And on May 17, he’ll take his next big shot at it during the Adidas Atlanta City Games, aiming to break Usain Bolt’s iconic 150m world record of 14.35 seconds set in 2009.
He Came Close—Very Close
In 2023, at the very same Atlanta event, Lyles clocked an eye-popping 14.41 seconds. It matched the American record and came within six-hundredths of Bolt’s mark. However, questions about track marking inconsistencies led some to withhold official recognition. Still, the world saw how close he got—and how possible the dream really is.
Expert Cautions: Lyles Hasn’t Raced a Short Sprint Yet in 2025
Track & field analyst Anderson Emerole, speaking on *The Final Leg* podcast, highlighted a key concern: Lyles hasn’t raced a short outdoor sprint yet this season. “We’ve seen him run the 4x100m and a personal-best 400m,” said Emerole. “But we haven’t seen that sharpness in a 100m or 150m race. That’s a lot to expect from someone in their first major sprint of the year.”
While Lyles posted a solid 45.87 in the 400m—his first since high school—he placed fifth in that race at the Tom Jones Memorial. And without recent short-distance benchmarks, the uncertainty surrounding his current explosive speed remains.
Confidence or Arrogance? Lyles Doesn’t Care
Despite the skepticism, Noah Lyles continues to double down on belief in himself. “People love to watch others fail,” he said before the Paris Olympics. “But I don’t care what people think… They don’t know my story.” This defiance, often mistaken for arrogance, is actually his armor. And even Usain Bolt respects it. “One thing I respect about Lyles is his confidence,” Bolt told *talkSPORT* in 2024.
Lyles vs Bolt: Beyond the Stopwatch
Lyles already came close to Bolt’s 200m world record with his 19.31 sprint in 2022. While critics doubt he can dethrone the Jamaican sprint icon, the conversation is no longer hypothetical—it’s real, and it’s happening in front of our eyes. Whether or not he breaks the 150m world record this week, Lyles’ pursuit of greatness continues to inspire the next generation.
Prediction: Bolt’s Record Survives, But Not For Long
Given the lack of recent sprint data and the timing of this race, experts lean toward Bolt’s 14.35 surviving—at least for now. But with Lyles healthy, hungry, and unshaken, it’s only a matter of time before history is rewritten. Whether it happens in Atlanta or not, Lyles isn’t backing down. And that might be his greatest strength of all.