Noah Lyles, the recently crowned Olympic and world champion in the 100 meters, has announced his ambitious plans to transition to the 400 meters full-time, aiming to break the world record in the process. Lyles, known for his extraordinary speed and versatility, has expressed a long-standing interest in competing in the 400 meters, and now appears ready to fully commit to the challenge.
Lyles’ journey to the 400 meters was temporarily delayed when he contracted COVID-19, which forced him to miss out on the US 4x400m relay team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Despite this setback, Lyles remains undeterred, maintaining his focus on his new goal. His ability to excel in events beyond his primary specialization is well-documented; he successfully transitioned from the 200 meters to the 100 meters, where he has now secured both Olympic and world titles.
While Lyles has dominated the 200 meters with three world championships to his name, Olympic gold in the event has eluded him, as he has settled for bronze medals in consecutive Games. As he looks toward redemption in the 2028 Olympics, Lyles is also setting his sights on the 400 meters. His ambition extends beyond merely competing in the event; he aims to challenge the world record set by South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk, who ran an astonishing 43.03 seconds in 2016.
Lyles has expressed his determination to make history in the 400 meters, drawing confidence from his past successes and his rigorous training regimen. His audacious plan to take on the 400 meters full-time signifies his commitment to expanding his repertoire and leaving an even greater mark on the world of athletics.
As Lyles prepares for this new challenge, the track and field community is eagerly watching to see if he can replicate his success in the 100 and 200 meters in the longer sprint. If Lyles’ track record is any indication, his pursuit of the 400 meters world record is one that will be closely followed, and his competitors, including current top 400m athletes like Quincy Hall, have been put on notice:
“I haven’t run an open 400 since high school, and I think I ran like 47.4, but I have run 44 and 45 splits multiple times,” Lyles said.
“Jerrem Richards and I train together. He is a 19.8 200m runner, and he decided he was going to focus on the 400m this year. He was in those finals and got fourth with 43.7, a new national record for Trinidad and Tobago. I believe it is in the top ten fastest times.”
“I really want to take a shot at the world record if I decide to move to the 400 truly and give it my 100 percent for multiple years,” he shared.
“My brain understands it, but my body doesn’t know the difference. Why would it think it is a hard time? My body does not know that that is hard. If I keep telling it to get faster and faster, it is going to try and adapt, so it is going to keep moving towards that time.”
With backing from fellow American athlete Quincy Hall, the reigning Olympic champion in the 400m, Noah Lyles is well-positioned to make a strong impact if he chooses to compete in the event full-time. Hall has expressed confidence in Lyles’ ability to excel in the 400m, citing his remarkable speed and adaptability.
As Lyles gears up for the next chapter of his career, his possible foray into the 400m is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated developments in athletics. Whether he can surpass the records set by Wayde van Niekerk and Usain Bolt is yet to be determined.
