OlympicTalk · Jun 7, 2020
Noah Lyles eyes a roiled nation and race in all its forms
Noah Lyles could be a year away from occupying a uniquely symbolic position in sports: an African American sprinter wearing the letters “USA” on a medals stand at the Olympics.
Instead of contemplating how he might use that platform, Lyles is spending time these days trying to make sense of what’s happening in his country — a land riven by protests, pain and questions in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd.
“All you’re seeing is your own people getting hurt and basically killed every day,” Lyles said in an interview with The Associated Press. “You can’t get it out of your mind. And eventually, that starts to wander into your mind: Am I going to be next?’”