PARIS — On the cusp of securing an Olympic bid in the 100-meter dash, Noah Lyles wore a pristine navy blue Gucci suit, covered in the monochrome logo, with three white stripes down the side of the pants — part of a collab between Adidas and the luxury Italian brand. He carried a briefcase featuring the legendary Yu-Gi-Oh trading card Blue-Eyes White Dragon. He had Snoop Dogg do the honors of unveiling.
That’s high fashion. That’s anime. That’s hip-hop. Three cultures, three industries, merging into one moment. For a sprinter.
A couple weeks later, he was a Netflix star.
It’s been an epic runway to Paris for Lyles. He couldn’t have scripted it better. And this he indeed scripted. His stated effort to transcend track and field, to step into the realm of celebrity typically reserved for stars of major sports, has been blatantly choreographed. So much so, it rubs some people the wrong way.
Many prefer their athletes cloaked in humility. They want feats that require insurmountable confidence, a greatness born of audacity, but a personality befitting a community leader. But Lyles is aiming to do the opposite of cramming his listed 5-foot-10 frame and 6-foot-9 personality into a traditional box.
“Everybody has their own vibe. I’m a showman,” Lyles declared in the…
