Historic! Noah Lyles creates history, matches Usain Bolt record with world 200 metres title

Noah Lyles has secured his fourth consecutive world 200 metres title, matching Usain Bolt's achievement. His remarkable victory in the closely contested Olympic 100m finals in Paris last year remains memorable.Despite his success, Lyles has faced numerous health challenges throughout his life, particularly asthma. The 28-year-old American also deals with dyslexia, ADHD, and occasional bouts of depression, which intensified during the COVID pandemic.His performance at the Tokyo Olympics was significantly impacted by these challenges, especially with the absence of spectators and strict restrictions. His asthma condition emerged when he was three years old."He couldn't eat without coughing. He couldn't play. His quality of life went down," his mother Keisha Caine Bishop told ESPN.Lyles spent numerous nights in hospital during his childhood. During his high school years, racing would exhaust him completely, requiring two days of bed rest.Lyles has consistently demonstrated resilience and openness about discussing challenging personal issues. He openly shared his struggles with depression after winning Olympic bronze in the 200m at the Tokyo Games."I knew there was a lot of people out there like me who are scared to say something or to even start that journey. I want you to know that it's OK to not feel good, and you can go out and talk to somebody professionally, or even get on medication, because this is a serious issue. You don't want to wake up one day and just think, you know, 'I don't want to be here anymore'," he said.Lyles received strong support from his mother, who raised him and his siblings alone. His teacher at Alexandria City High School in Virginia, Leslie A. Jones, played a crucial role in his development.Jones, who teaches English, public speaking, and theatre, helped Lyles build confidence. In one exercise, Lyles demonstrated starting block techniques to his classmates in the school theatre."He literally taught us how to get in and out of the blocks at the start of a race," he added.Lyles has gained significant recognition in the United States through various media appearances, including a documentary series and roles in Netflix's "Sprint" and NBC's "The Tonight Show."He continues to experience anxiety, often requiring four to five days of isolation to recover."I have to do what I love, which is like building Legos, making music, playing video games, you know, being with my friends," he admitted.Following his Olympic gold in Paris, Lyles shared an encouraging message on social media for others facing similar challenges: "I will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become."